Baked Pasta With Asparagus Lemon And Mascarpone Recipes

BAKED PASTA WITH ASPARAGUS, LEMON, AND MASCARPONE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450°F.
• Spray a 9x13 pan with cooking spray.
• Heat a large pot of water to boil.
• Add asparagus and cook 2 minutes, remove with a slotted spoon and run under cold water to stop cooking process, drain well.
• Add fettuccine to boiling water and cook until al dente, about 10 minutes.
• While fettuccine is cooking, heat oil in a skillet, add scallions and saute 1 minute.
• Add asparagus, saute 1 minute.
• Remove from heat and add half the zest, lemon juice, thyme, salt, pepper; mix well; set aside.
• In a saucepan melt butter, add flour and mix well.
• Whisk in milk and stir until boiling, lower heat and cook until thickened.
• Remove from heat and stir in mascapone, remaining zest and 1/2 cup parmigiano-reggiano, whisking until smooth.
• Season with allspice, cayenne, salt and pepper.
• Mix remaining cheese, breadcrumbs, salt, pepper in a small bowl.
• For assembly:.
• Drain the cooked fettucine and return to pot.
• Stir in asparagus mixture, cheese sauce, toasted nuts and mix well.
• Pour into prepared pan, top with breadcrumb mixture.
• Bake uncovered 15-20 minutes until bubbling and golden; serve.

FETTUCCINE WITH ASPARAGUS, LEMON, PINE NUTS & MASCARPONE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 400F or 450°F (Note the slightly higher oven temperature when baking fresh egg pasta.) Lightly coat a large, shallow baking dish with olive oil.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
• Add the asparagus and blanch until tender but with a slight bite left to it, about 2 minute Scoop it from the water with a large slotted spoon, set it in a colander, and run it under cold water to preserve its green color.
• Drain well.
• Keep the water boiling for the pasta.
• In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
• Add the scallions; sauté 1 minute to soften.
• Add the asparagus and sauté briefly, about 1 minute Take the skillet off the heat and add half the zest, the lemon juice, thyme, salt, and pepper; mix well and reserve.
• In a medium saucepan, heat the butter and flour over medium heat, whisking until smooth.
• Cook for 1 min.
• ,whisking constantly, to cook away the raw taste of the flour.
• Add the milk and cook, whisking all the while, until it comes to a boil.
• Lower the heat a bit and cook until smooth and lightly thickened (about the consistency of heavy cream), 3 or 4 minute.
• Turn off the heat and add the mascarpone, the remaining lemon zest, and 1/2 cup of the grana padano, whisking until the mixture is fairly smooth (there will be a slight grainy texture from the cheese).
• Season with the cayenne, allspice, and more salt and pepper.
• In a small bowl, combine the breadcrumbs and the remaining grana padano.
• Season with salt and pepper and add a drizzle of olive oil.
• Mix well.
• Return the cooking water to a full boil and cook the fettuccine, leaving it slightly underdone.
• Drain well.
• Return the fettuccine to the cooking pot.
• Add the mascarpone sauce, the pine nuts, and the asparagus with all its juices.
• Toss and taste for seasoning.
• Pour into the baking dish and sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture evenly over the top.
• Bake uncovered until bubbling and golden, 15 to 20 minute Serve right away.

THE BEST ASPARAGUS LEMON PASTA

Steps:

• Cut the asparagus into 1/2 inch slices on the diagonal, or just into 3 pieces.
• In a steamer set over boiling water steam asparagus, covered, until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes.Drain and rinse under cold water to stop cooking. set aside.
• In a 6-quart kettle bring 5 quarts salted water to a boil for pasta.
• In a deep 12-inch skillet heat butter and cream over moderately low heat until butter is melted and stir in zest, lemon juice, and salt. Remove skillet from heat and keep sauce warm, covered.
• Add pasta to boiling water and boil, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Ladle 1/4 cup pasta water into sauce and drain pasta in colander.
• Immediately add pasta and asparagus to sauce and cook over moderate heat, tossing, 1 minute, or until heated through. Add basil and salt and pepper to taste and toss well.
• Sprinkle pasta with a little Parmesan and serve more Parmesan on the side.

BAKED PASTA WITH ASPARAGUS (PASTA AL FORNO CON ASPARAGI)

Steps:

• Wash Asparagus.
• Remove any tough stalks and cut into short lengths.
• You may want to split the length in half.
• Melt about 3 tbs of butter in pan and cook the asparagus over a low heat for about 20 min.
• Every so often, add a little chicken stock to keep it moist.
• When the asparagus is done, season to taste.
• While the asparagus is cooking, process the ricotta cheese with the oil.
• Cook the pasta for half the time stated on the package.
• Drain and immediately toss in the remaining butter and half the Parmesan.
• Butter a deep oven dish.
• Make a thin layer of pasta, then one of asparagus, then one of pasta again and then one of ricotta.
• Repeat, finishing with the layer of pasta.
• Beat together the eggs and the remaining cheese and pour over the top.
• Sprinkle with black pepper.
• Bake in a medium oven, 350 degrees for 20 minutes.