5-15-16 SPRING PASTA

I wanted the lovely spring day to end with an appropriate pasta dinner, hoping to create an elegant homage to the wonderful month of May.  The goal was a dish that was light, fresh, and simple.

My original plan was for the sauce to be a combination of Asparagus and caramelized Shallots.  Unfortunately I burned the Shallots, but being the tiger that I am, I quickly recovered and move on to chopped onions.

INGREDIENTS:

1.     Angel hair pasta

2.     Asparagus

3.     Olive oil

4.     Onion – ½ medium onion chopped

5.     Garlic 1 clove pressed

6.     Fresh lemon juice

7.     Mozzarella – cut into ½ inch cubes

8.     Grape tomatoes – halved

9.     Fresh basil, dill, and arugula from Patience’s garden – finely chopped

PROCESS:

Cook the onion in olive oil until translucent, and then add the garlic.  Coat the Asparagus with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and grill on a gas or electric grill.  Then cut into 1” pieces and add to the pan with the onions. Cook over low heat and add the juice from ½ lemon.

When the pasta is ready, place in a serving dish and mix in the onion-asparagus sauce.  Drizzle with olive oil and add about 1/3 cup of the pasta water.  Add the cheese, tomatoes, and fresh herbs and serve.

COMMENTS:

Patience’s fresh herbs made this dish an unequivocal success.  It was the perfect way to end the weekend.