I love asparagus and I love parmesan and lemon and pasta. Put it all together and what do you get? Delicious pasta, I hope. I will update after I’ve tried this recipe, but the feedback on the original author’s website was positive so I have a good feeling. In fact, I may have to make this for dinner… either that or try the Mongolian Beef recipe I’ve had my eye on for a while. (I’ll post that one after I take it for a spin around the dinner plate.)
1 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut diagonally into 1/2-inch thick slices
1 pound bow-tie pasta (I used rice pasta spirals)
3 Tablespoons unsalted butter or margarine
3/4 cup heavy cream, half-and-half or plain Silk creamer
2 teaspoons freshly-grated lemon zest
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup fresh, flat parsley leaves, chopped
Freshly ground pepper
Grated parmesan cheese– Romano works as well
** Personal touch: If you like a little heat, add cayenne pepper to taste to the lemon sauce.**
Steam asparagus until crisp-tender (about 5 minutes). Transfer to a colander and rinse with cold water. Drain well and set aside.
Meanwhile, bring water to boil in a sauce pan. Add pasta and cook until al dente.
In a deep skillet, heat butter and cream over moderately low heat until butter is melted. Stir in zest, lemon juice and salt.
Ladle 1/4 cup pasta water into sauce and drain pasta.
Immediately add pasta and asparagus to sauce in skillet. Cook and toss until warmed through. Add parsley, pepper and top with parmesan.
<http://alladither.typepad.com/halfassedkitchen/2009/03/asparagus-lemon-pasta.html>
