Pasta With Asparagus

Recipe: Pasta with Asparagus
Page: 128
Date Cooked: September 21, 2010

Pasta dishes are my go-to's when I'm in the mood for something quick, filling, and tasty. Not only do you get an architectural pasta shape feeling in your mouth but also an assortment of flavors. With that in mind, I decided to give Jonathan Waxman's "Pasta with Asparagus" a try.

Ingredients: Asparagus, cherry tomatoes, garlic cloves, basil leaves, olive oil, salt, pepper, bread crumbs, orecchiette, unsalted butter, and Fontina cheese

People have a tendency to overcook asparagus and Jonathan Waxman warns you of that as well. "The spears should be cooked just right, not too crunchy or too limp." Furthermore, many people shy away from asparagus because they think it's bitter - much of this has to do with how one cooks asparagus. Accordingly, the asparagus were trimmed at the part where the bitterness ends (the natural snapping point) and cut into 1/2-inch pieces. The tomatoes were then halved. Garlic was minced. And finally, the basil was julienned.

In the bowls: Halved cherry tomatoes and 1/2-inch pieces of asparagus
On the cutting board: Julienned basil and minced garlic

The one thing I really appreciate while preparing food is the contrasting colors of all the ingredients. The red of the cherry tomatoes in contrast with the green of the asparagus and basil is just pleasing to the eye.

The best part of this recipe is this is pretty much the end of any kind of real prep work (I had to grate the Fontina on my own, because I couldn't find it already grated). The rest is just cooking. The olive oil is heated in a large skillet and the garlic is sautéed. Add the tomatoes and the asparagus and cook till the asparagus is just tender (approximately 8-10 minutes). The mixture is then seasoned with salt and pepper, removed from the heat, and covered.

The sauntered mixture of garlic, tomatoes, and asparagus

The pasta is then cooked to al dente based on the package instructions. While the pasta is cooking, bread crumbs are placed on a baking sheet and toasted in the oven. Word to the wise: don't forget about the bread crumbs in the oven. I hate to admit it, but I burned the first batch and had to do it a second time. Also once the pasta has cooked, Jonathan Waxman suggests keeping about 1 cup of the pasta cooking water.

Drained pasta with reserved cooking water

And now putting everything together. The asparagus mixture is reheated over low heat and the butter is added. The orecchiette was added by spoonful and tossed. I never had to use the reserved cooking water, which is there just in case the pasta appears dry. The basil, cheese, and bread crumbs are added one at a time and tossed after each addition. Then it's all done.

Pasta with Asparagus

The pasta was good but to be honest I wasn't wowed by the flavor combination. Tomatoes, asparagus, basil, and garlic in a pasta is quite ordinary - but I enjoyed it nonetheless. Fontina cheese is not a cheese I pick up often and I really enjoyed the nutty-type flavor of the cheese. The one component that didn't see to resonate with me were the breadcrumbs. I assumed it would provide an added texture, but it just didn't do it for me. All in all it was good and the flavors were fresh.

Enjoy!