Officially the first day of spring is March 20.

That’s the date that scientists and folks who study such stuff say that the sun’s rays fall directly on the equator. Or something like that.

Unofficially it began the day after St. Patrick’s Day. That’s the date the folks who claim any droplet of Irish heritage are eating leftover corned beef and drinking what’s left of the green beer.

The arrival of spring means that the days will begin to get warmer and our diets will transition from the heavier, heartier, stick-to-the-ribs dishes of winter to the lighter fare of summer.

The Italians even have a term for this transition. They call it, “alla primavera” t and according to my dog-eared copy of The Food Lover’s Companion it translates into “spring style.” It refers to “the use of fresh vegetables (raw or blanched) as a garnish in various dishes.”

Arguably the most popular dish prepared in this way is pasta primavera. It is defined as “pasta that is tossed or topped with diced or julienned cooked vegetables.”

It is a classic spring and summer dish that you would think has roots in some ancient culture, like the Romans or the Greeks. But in reality, it is a relatively young creation, dating back to the 1970s when it was invented by a New York chef.

The original had a lot of steps and was somewhat complicated, but over the years it has been fine-tuned somewhat by home and professional chefs so that now it can be made with just a few simple ingredients.

Regardless, it is a wonderful way to usher in the changing of the seasons in a lighter, more fun fashion. And it tastes good, too.

Here is a good, easy recipe for this neo-classic dish that I got from the aptly titled “How to Cook Everything” by Mark Bittman. Even novice home chefs can pull this one together.

Pasta Primavera

About 4 servings

• 1 ½ cups chicken, meat or vegetable stock 
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme 
• Salt 
• ½ cup peeled and diced carrot 
• 1 cup asparagus tips, each about 1-inch long 
• ½ cup zucchini or summer squash, diced 
• ½ cup shelled fresh or frozen peas, or snow peas 
• 1 pound penne or other cut pasta 
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil or butter 
• Fresh ground black pepper, to taste 
• 1 ½ cups freshly ground Parmesan cheese 

Bring a large pot of water to boil.

Bring 1 cup of the stock to a boil in a medium skillet; add the thyme and salt, if necessary. Add the carrot and cook for 3 minutes.

Add the asparagus tips and cook for 2 minutes. Add the zucchini and cook for 2 minutes. Add the peas and cook until all the vegetable are just tender, and the stock has just about evaporated. Turn off the heat.

Salt the boiling water and cook the pasta until it is tender but firm.

When the pasta is just about done, turn the heat under the vegetables to medium and stir in the olive oil or bitter. Cok for 2 minutes, then add the remaining stock. Cook until the vegetables are very tender but not mushy.

Drain the pasta and toss it with the cooked vegetables and their broth; add salt and pepper, to taste. Top with about a cup of Parmesan, or enough to thicken the sauce and serve, passing additional Parmesan at the table.

That is a terrific vegetarian and very traditional way to enjoy pasta primavera. There are, however, times when a bit of protein is needed to give that main dish a little extra oomph.

Here is a great recipe that I have had for a while but frankly I can’t remember where I stole it from. Rest assured, though, that it’s not mine.

But it is good and easy and uses one of my favorite seafoods as a basis for lots of flavor. And it goes without saying that the shrimp ought to be wild caught Gulf shrimp, if possible.

Shrimp Pasta Primavera

4 servings

• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided 
• 1 pound peeled and deveined raw medium shrimp 
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided 
• 1 large red bell pepper, chopped (about 1 1⁄4 cups) 
• 5 ounce snap peas, diagonally halved crosswise (about 1 1⁄4 cups) 
• 1/4 cup chopped shallot (about 1 medium shallot) 
• 10 ounce uncooked gemelli pasta 
• 4 cups unsalted chicken stock 
• 4 ounces baby spinach (about 4 cups) 
• 1 1/2 cups chopped Broccolini (about 4 oz.) 
• 2 tablespoon white wine vinegar 
• 1/2 ounces pecorino Romano cheese, shredded (about 2 tablespoons) 
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper 

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high. Sprinkle shrimp with 1/4 teaspoon of the salt. Add shrimp to Dutch oven; cook until cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes, stirring once.

Remove shrimp; set aside. Pour off any remaining drippings from Dutch oven. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Add bell pepper, snap peas, and shallot, and cook, stirring often, until vegetables are tender, about 4 minutes. Add bell pepper mixture to shrimp; cover to keep warm.

Add pasta, stock, and remaining 1⁄2 teaspoon salt to Dutch oven; bring to a boil over medium-high. Boil pasta, stirring occasionally, until pasta is almost tender and stock is almost absorbed, about 9 minutes.

Add spinach and broccolini; cook until spinach is wilted, 1 to 2 minutes.

Stir in shrimp mixture and vinegar. Remove from heat. Divide mixture evenly among 4 bowls; top with cheese and red pepper.

There are also times when something more affordable is called for and this one fits the bill nicely. I got it from from Allrecipes.com.

Chicken Pasta Primavera

4 servings

• 1 red bell pepper (cut into 1-inch pieces) 
• 1 yellow bell pepper (cut into 1-inch pieces) 
• 1 green bell pepper (cut into 1 inch pieces) 
• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 
• 2 cloves garlic, minced  
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can whole tomatoes  (peeled and diced) 
• 1 (10 ounce) can diced with green chile tomatoes
• Creole seasoning, to taste 
• Angel hair pasta 
• 2 tablespoons butter 
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (cut into bite-size pieces) 
• ½ teaspoon dried basil 
• ½ teaspoon dried rosemary 
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme 
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder 
• ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated 

In a large skillet over medium heat, cook red, yellow and green bell peppers in 2 tablespoons olive oil with garlic until just tender.

Stir in diced tomatoes and diced tomatoes with chiles, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 10 minutes. Season with Creole season to suit your family’s taste.

Remove to a serving bowl.

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.

While pasta is cooking, heat 2 tablespoons oil and butter over medium heat in a large skillet. Cook chicken in butter mixture until juices run clear, 5 to 10 minutes. Place cooked chicken over tomato sauce and sprinkle with basil, rosemary, thyme, garlic powder and Parmesan. Serve with cooked pasta.