Fiddlehead Fern Pasta

Ingredients

• Salt and pepper (to taste)
• Parmesan cheese (1/2 cup, grated)
• Red pepper flakes (1/4 teaspoon)
• Garlic (2 cloves, minced)
• Olive oil (2 tablespoons)
• Pasta (8 ounces)
• Fiddlehead ferns (2 cups, cleaned and trimmed)

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the fiddlehead ferns and blanch for 2 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
2. In the same pot of boiling water, cook the pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain, reserving 1 cup of pasta water.
3. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
4. Add the blanched fiddlehead ferns to the skillet and sauté for 5 minutes, until tender.
5. Add the cooked pasta to the skillet, along with a splash of the reserved pasta water. Toss to combine.
6. Stir in the grated parmesan cheese and season with salt and pepper. Add more pasta water if needed to create a light sauce.
7. Serve the pasta hot, with extra parmesan cheese on top.