Simple spring pasta with asparagus, ricotta, Parm, garlic, and a dash of nutmeg.
It’s a little heavy on the pasta, you could easily cut it back.
More More More Fresh Asparagus!
Elise Bauer
(You will cook both the asparagus and the pasta in the same pot of water.)
Add a couple teaspoons of salt.
Have an ice bath ready.
Add the asparagus and cook until tender but firm, about 4 minutes.
Remove the asparagus with tongs and place in the ice bath to stop the cooking.
Cut into 1/8-inch diagonal slices, leaving the tips intact.
Bring the water back to a boil and add the penne pasta.
While the penne is cooking, rub the inside of a large serving bowl with the mashed garlic.
Add the ricotta, olive oil, and 1/4 cup of the pasta cooking water.
Mix together in the bowl.
When the pasta is done, drain it, reserving some of the cooking water.
Add the penne to the ricotta mixture.
Fold in the asparagus and half of the Parmesan cheese.
Season to taste with salt, pepper, and several dashes of nutmeg.
Add some of the reserved pasta water if needed.
in a separate bowl for sprinkling.
