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2-1/2 to 3 pounds thick
asparagus spears |
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1 pound dried ditali ("thimbles")
or canneroni ("large reeds") |
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4 tablespoons unsalted butter,
cut in pieces |
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1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
cheese |
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Salt and freshly ground black pepper
to taste |
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Janet Fletcher,
The San Francisco Chronicle
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Janet Fletcher created this quick one-pot
dish, in which the pasta and asparagus cook together and are sauced
in the serving bowl. Ditali are short hollow pasta tubes, related
to elbow macaroni but even shorter.
Holding an asparagus spear in both hands, bend it gently; it will
break naturally at the point where the spear becomes tough. Repeat
with the remaining spears. Discard the tough ends. You should have
about 1-1/2 pounds of tender spears. Cut the spears crosswise into
1/3-inch slices (about the same length as the ditali).
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the asparagus and
partially cover the pot. When the water returns to a boil, add the
pasta. Cook until al dente. Drain. Transfer the pasta and asparagus
to a large warm bowl. Add the butter, cheese and salt and pepper.
Toss to coat. Serve immediately on warm dishes.
Serves 4.
Nutritional Information:
PER SERVING: 665 calories, 30 g protein, 94 g carbohydrate,
19 g fat (11 g saturated), 47 mg cholesterol, 385 mg sodium, 3 g
fiber.
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Recipes