We all know that Italian cooking likes to follow the seasons, and rather than relying on the same fruits and vegetables year-round, we just choose what’s naturally at its best. Spring is a key moment in this cycle: nature awakens, the air gets light and fragrant, just like the way we cook.

We move from the rich, hearty dishes of winter to the lighter, fresher flavors of the warmer months. Nothing marks this change better than ingredients like asparagus, artichokes, fava beans, and peas, which find their way into everything from soups to pasta. Seafood also takes on a bigger role, with white fish and shellfish becoming staples in coastal regions.