This is a very simple, fresh and delicious spring pasta recipe that was just featured in the latest Bon Appetit in a segment titled "15 meals in 15 minutes". Now is the time to try this dish at home since locally grown asparagus is readily available. All of the prep for the dish can be completed in the time it takes the pasta to cook. When the pasta is ready, simply toss and serve. I chose to use whole wheat pasta instead of white in order to bulk up the fiber content of the meal. My husband is totally anti whole wheat pasta, but I managed to get him to eat it (by not telling him I was using it!) and he actually said he liked it prepared this way! Score! The creamy sauce is packed with flavor from the tangy lemon and goat cheese without added calories from cream or butter since it is thinned with the starchy cooking liquid from the pasta. This dish is great as a vegetarian main course, but can also benefit from the addition of some protein if you choose. I actually added some Bell & Evans chicken sausage that I removed from the casing and browned in a skillet. It would also be great with shrimp, scallops or chicken.
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Pasta with Goat Cheese, Lemon and Asparagus Ingredients: 1 lb fusilli or rotini (I recommend using a whole wheat variety) 1 lb slender asparagus spears, trimmed into 1-1.5" pieces 1/4 cup olive oil 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest 2 teaspoons chopped fresh tarragon 1 5 oz log soft fresh goat cheese (do not buy crumbles - they don't melt as well!) Instructions: Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until almost tender, about 7 minutes (longer if using whole wheat pasta). Add asparagus and cook until pasta is done, about 2-3 minutes. While pasta is cooking, combine oil, zest and tarragon in a large bowl. Crumble in the goat cheese. Drain the pasta and asparagus, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid. Add the hot pasta, asparagus and 1/4 cup of cooking liquid to the bowl with the goat cheese mixture. Toss to coat, adding more cooking liquid if dry. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Variation: If you would like to add some protein to this dish, try one of the following - seared shrimp, shredded rotisserie chicken or chicken sausage cooked without the casing and crumbled (this was my choice). Just add the protein of your choice at the end to the finished pasta dish. Serves 4-6 |
Recipe Courtesy of Bon Appetit June 2009
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