Tender, sauteed asparagus
pieces, an Italian tomato sauce and Parmesan cheese are tossed
with penne pasta in this simple, yet sophisticated dish.
Penne
with Asparagus
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 1/2 pounds asparagus,
ends trimmed, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
- 2 medium onions, chopped
- 4 large garlic cloves,
finely minced
- 2 (14-ounce) cans Italian-style
tomatoes with juice
- 2 teaspoons dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon dried crushed
red pepper
- Salt and freshly ground
black pepper to taste
- 1 pound penne, cooked
according to package directions
- 1/2 cup grated fresh Parmesan
cheese
- Additional grated fresh
Parmesan cheese
- Melt butter with oil in
large cooking pot over medium-high heat. Add asparagus and sauté 3 minutes. Using slotted
spoon, transfer asparagus
to bowl.
- Add onions to pot and
sauté until lightly golden in color, about 10 minutes. Add tomatoes with their
juices, basil, oregano, red
pepper, salt and pepper. Bring sauce to boil. Reduce heat to
medium and simmer until sauce
thickens slightly, breaking up tomatoes and stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes.
- Return asparagus to sauce.
Cook until asparagus is crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Add cooked penne and 1/2 cup Parmesan.
Toss to combine. Season
with additional salt and pepper, if needed. Transfer pasta to
large serving bowl.
Serve, passing additional cheese separately.
Serves 4.
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