When I was in high school, my best friend and I decided to cook a spring dinner for our boyfriends. I know, cute. The only thing was that we had never attempted making more than just some Kraft macaroni and cheese. The menu consisted of a big salad, chicken parm, garlic bread, and creamy asparagus pasta. It was an utter disaster. The only thing that was edible was the pasta. I didn’t know it then, but I was onto something big.

I used a package of pepper Boursin to make the pasta sauce. It was so delicious. Creamy, it hugged the pasta so well. It was as if Boursin was actually a starter for a creamy pasta sauce. Someone contact them! They need to change their marketing direction.

After years of making this pasta sauce for a simple and luxurious weeknight dinner, I feel like it’s really been perfected. Since spring is finally here, you can find peas in the markets. They’re so fresh and sweet right now, the best addition to a pasta. You can also find a bag of fresh peas at Trader Joe’s. Instead of a pepper Boursin, which is almost impossible to find for some reason, I felt the garlic and fine herbs version was ideal for this dish. It adds so much depth with just one ingredient. The contrast between the creamy garlic Boursin sauce and the sweet peas is divine. The shells are the perfect vessel for them. The peas and sauce fill the shells, each bite is filled with so much flavor. The addition of lemon zest to finish the dish adds a brightness and subtle acidity. And if you’re like me, you’ll add a ton of fresh black pepper for a hit of spice.

Happy Spring!!