Lemon Asparagus Pasta

ingredients

1 1/2 pounds asparagus, trimmed and cut diagonally in 1/2″ pieces
1 pound pasta (try angelhair or spaghettini)
3 Tbsp. butter
3/4 cup heavy (35%) cream
2 Tbsp. freshly grated lemon zest (about 2 lemons)
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tsp salt
1/3 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

method

Boil water for pasta. Cook asparagus until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes, then remove and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking. Drain well. Set aside.

Add pasta to boiling water and cook until al dente. Meanwhile, in a large, deep skillet, heat butter and cream over moderately low heat until butter is melted. Stir in zest, lemon juice and salt. Remove skillet from heat and keep sauce warm, covered.

When the pasta is cooked and before you drain it, ladle 1/4 cup of the pasta water into the sauce, and then drain the pasta in a colander. Immediately add the pasta and the asparagus to the sauce, and toss it over medium heat for about one minute, just to heat it through. Add parsley, and salt and pepper to taste. (A good sprinkling of fresh ground pepper is a lovely addition to this dish!)

Sprinkle the pasta with a little Parmesan and serve more cheese on the side.