The vegetables are added to the pot in stages to keep them all at their prime. Start with the longer cooking leeks, fennel and carrots, then add the fresh peas, and finally stir in the baby spinach and herbs just before serving.

What you’ll need: 8-10 oz leek
10 oz fennel
6 oz yellow carrots
1 oz butter
8 oz vegetable broth
6 oz lumachine pasta
5 oz shelled fresh peas
1 oz fresh parsley
3 oz baby spinach
1 lemon
1 oz Parmesan cheese
Coarse salt
freshly ground black pepper

Equipment: large pot
grater or microplane
Recipe Steps:

1. Prep vegetables
   Cut root end and dark green part off of leek. Halve lengthwise, thinly slice. Wash and dry well. Quarter fennel bulb, remove core, then thinly slice. Peel carrots, then slice ½-inch thick on the bias.

2. Cook vegetables
   In large pot, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add leek, fennel and carrots to pot. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes.

3. Add water
   Add vegetable broth and 6 cups water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until reduced slightly and vegetables are tender, 10 minutes.

4. Add pasta and peas
   Meanwhile, remove leaves from parsley stems then chop leaves. Bring soup to a boil, add pasta and cook until almost al dente, about 5 minutes. Add peas and cook until pasta is al dente, about 2 minutes.

5. Stir in greens
   Stir in parsley and spinach, cook just until wilted, about 30 seconds, remove from heat. Season with salt and pepper.

6. Garnish soup
   Cut lemon into wedges. Grate cheese. Serve soup and garnish with cheese and lemon wedges for squeezing over. Enjoy!