Penne with Asparagus in a Ricotta Basil Sauce

Every cook knows that there comes a time when you have to create dinner with whatever leftover items are in the fridge. For me, the items were asparagus, ricotta, a very large tomato, and some wilting basil. Luckily, I found a box of whole wheat penne in the pantry. Overall, the creation turned out quite delicious and was ready in under 30 minutes. The meal turned out to be better than the sum of its parts... and there were lots of leftovers for lunch!

Penne with Asparagus in a Ricotta Basil Sauce

Ingredients

1/2 Box of whole wheat penne
1 bundle of asparagus
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
Fresh tomato
2 garlic cloves
Basil
Salt & Pepper

Preparation

Blanching the asparagus:
Chop the asparagus into 1 inch diagonal pieces, keeping the heads intact. Turn on the stove and boil salted water. While the water is boiling, fill up a large bowl with cold water and ice. We will use this to "shock" the asparagus. Once the water comes to a rolling boil, add the asparagus and cook for 3-4 minutes until tender. I always taste one to make sure it's the right consistency. Remove the asparagus with a slotted spoon and put into the ice bath. This step stops the asparagus from overcooking. After a minute, drain the asparagus and put aside.

Now, add the pasta to the same boiling water and cook according to the directions on the box.

While the pasta is cooking, roughly chop the tomato, basil, and garlic and pulse in food processor (I have a small chopper that I love). You can always substitute the fresh tomato with a can of crushed tomatoes or just chop finely.

When the pasta if finished, pour out the water and put the pot back on medium heat. Add the tomato mixture and let it simmer for 2 minutes. Taste the sauce and add salt and pepper. Add the cooked pasta and asparagus and mix. Now, stir in ricotta cheese (you may use more or less depending on how much pasta you cooked). Taste, salt, pepper and add a little more basil on top for a garnish.

Quick. Easy. Makes about 6 servings.