This is an easy and very tasty dish that smacks of goat cheese. The lemon zest rounds off the flavor nicely. I think that other vegetables could easily be substituted for the asparagus. Adapted from Smitten Kitchen.
Ingredients
- 1 pound spiral pasta (or whatever pasta you prefer)
- 1 pound asparagus, stalks trimmed, cut into 1 inch chunks
- 1/8 to 1/4 c olive oil
- 1 T grated lemon peel
- 2 T basil (or your herb of choice)
- 5 oz soft, fresh goat cheese
- 1/2 c grated Parmesan
- salt and pepper to taste
- lemon juice to taste
Instructions
- Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling water until al dente, 3-4 minutes shy of the full cooking time on the package
- Add asparagus and cook until tender but still firm, about 2-3 minutes.
- Drain and reserve one cup of pasta water
- Combine olive oil, lemon peel, basil, and goat cheese in a large bowl, and mix until smooth.
- Add pasta and asparagus to goat cheese mixture, plus a couple T of pasta water, and toss until well incorporated. Add more pasta water for a thinner sauce.
- Add salt, pepper, and lemon to taste. Sprinkle with parmesian to serve.