Asparagus, Green Pea, and Scallion pasta sauce

I am a huge fan of Lidia Bastianich.  Her online recipes are simple and described very well.  I also love to tune into her tv program.  I've tried a number of recipes that I found on her website, and all of them have turned out well. One of my new favorites that I have recently tried was the her Asparagus, Green Pea, and Scallion pasta sauce recipe found here:  http://lidiasitaly.com/recipes/detail/323.

I made a few modifications from the original recipe-- I added A LOT more mint, and found it needed a lot of salt. I thought it was great sprinkled with cheese-- I used finely shredded bandaged cheddar, as it was what I had laying around.

It's a unexpectedly great combination of ingredients- onion, leek, asparagus, green peas, and scallions that are allowed to cook together until they are very soft.  I tossed gnocchi pasta (not potato gnocchi, the dried wheat variety) with the finished product.  It was very light dish that my husband and I both adored!


Ingredients:

1½ pounds thin asparagus
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 large leek, sliced into 1/2 inch pieces, using both green and white parts
10 ounces frozen peas, thawed
2 cups scallion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons butter, cut up
⅓ cup water, plus more if needed
Leaves from 3-4 sprigs of fresh mint, chopped
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, or more, to taste
salt, to taste

Directions:
Snap off asparagus ends (discard or save for broth).  Slice the remaining tops into small pieces-- aim for pea sized.  This should make about 4 cups of asparagus.

Heat oil in the skillet or dutch oven.  Add onions until they are beginning to cook.  Add red pepper flakes, and toast for a minute.  Add sliced leeks and salt.  Cover, and cook until leeks begin to wilt.

Add green peas, and cover.  Cook gently, for at least 6 minutes.  When the onions have begun to turn a pale shade of yellow, add scallions and asparagus.  Next, add the butter, and stir.  Finally add the water.  Give it a good stir and cover.  This will need to cook for about 30 minutes.  Stir occasionally. If the sauce is dry, add small amounts of water.  Cook until veggies are all soft, but not until they are falling apart.  Add mint at the very end, and toss with pasta.  Salt to taste.  Top with cheese, if desired.