Ingredients

The following ingredients have 5 Servings
  • 10 oz dried Penne Pasta
  • 2 lbs asparagus
  • 2 cups cherry tomatoes
  • 6 tablespoons butter
  • 1 lemon
  • 1/3 cup grated Myrzithra cheese
  • 1/2-1 cup pasta water
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

Instruction

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees
  • Clean asparagus, snap off ends and cut into 1" pieces (I cut them on the bias). Clean tomatoes. Put the tomatoes and asparagus on a cookie sheet & toss with olive oil, salt & pepper. Into the oven they go for about 15 minutes (stirring once halfway thru) cook them just until the tomatoes begin to burst and the asparagus is still crisp & bright green.
  • Put a large pot on high on the stove to boil the pasta. When boiling cook the penne pasta to aldente, drain reserve about a cup of the pasta liquid.
  • Put the butter in a small sauce pan on medium low. Swirl it occasionally. It will take about 5 minutes and the solids will begin to rise to the top of the butter. Take a small spoon and skin them off the top. Continue to cook the butter over medium-to medium/low heat. It will become a brown color and the taste will be nutty and have much more flavor.
  • To assemble transfer the pasta back to your large cooking pot. Add the vegetables, brown butter, lemon zest, juice and cheese. Stir to combine. If it is too stiff - add 1/2 cup reserved pasta water and stir again. Add additional pasta water if needed.