Penne with Asparagus & Lemon Cream Sauce
Strike while the asparagus is fresh—it's loaded with nutrients, and gives this quick pasta the very taste of spring.
From EatingWell: March/April 1999, The Essential EatingWell Cookbook (2004)
Yield: 6 servings
Active Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch diagonal pieces
- 2 bunches scallions, trimmed and cut into 1-inch diagonal pieces
- 3/4 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
- 2 teaspoons freshly grated lemon zest
- 12 ounces penne
- Salt & freshly ground pepper, to taste
- 1/4 cup slivered fresh basil
Preparation
- Put a large pot of lightly salted water on to boil.
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add asparagus and scallions and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender and browned in places, 10 to 12 minutes.
- Meanwhile, whisk ricotta and lemon zest in a large bowl. Cook penne until just tender, about 10 minutes. Measure out 1/4 cup of the pasta-cooking water; stir into ricotta mixture until creamy. Drain the penne and mix into the ricotta mixture; toss to coat. Add the vegetables and toss well. Season with salt and pepper. Serve, garnished with basil.
Nutrition Per serving:
285 calories; 5 g fat (2 g sat, 2 g mono); 10 mg cholesterol; 48 g carbohydrates; 0 g added sugars; 13 g protein; 4 g fiber; 99 mg sodium; 275 mg potassium.
Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin C (20% daily value), Fiber (17% dv), Iron (15% dv), Calcium (15% dv).
3 Carbohydrate Serving
Exchanges: 3 starch, 1/2 vegetable, 1/2 medium-fat meat