Pasta with Roasted Asparagus

Pasta with Roasted Asparagus

Goat cheese and pasta

Ingredients:

• 1 bunch asparagus (tough end trimmed and cut into 2" pieces)
• 1 med onion cut length wise
• 2 tbs butter
• 1  1/2 cup short or any curly pasta
• 1 small (5 oz) goat cheese log (animal rennet free)
• 2 or 3 tbs chives snipped (optional)

Seasoning:

• salt
• 1/2 freshly ground pepper
• 1/2 red chili flakes
• 1/2 Italian seasoning
• 1 tbs olive oil

Combine 1 tbs of oil, 1/4 tsp of  pepper, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp red chili flakes to make olive oil mixture.

Method:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Roasting ready

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and place the asparagus and onion on it. Pour the olive oil mixture on the asparagus. Toss to coat the asparagus and onion with the olive oil mixture, spread all into a single layer on the baking sheet. Roast in the oven for 15 minutes.

While the asparagus is roasting, bring a large pot of water to boil and generously salt the boiling water. Add pasta and cook until al dente (per the directions on the pasta box). Drain, save 1 1/2 cups of pasta water
and return pasta to the pot..

Goat cheese sauce

In a medium bowl crumble the goat cheese, add the butter and 1 cup of pasta water. Season with  1/4 tsp red chili flakes, 1/4 tsp Italian seasoning, 1/4 tsp ground pepper. Whisk all into a smooth mixture. Add the goat cheese mixture and the roasted asparagus to the pasta in the pot.
Toss to combine, add more pasta water as needed for the sauce to coat
pasta. Garnish with chives.

Serving ready

Cooking Tips:

Adjust salt and seasoning as per your taste. Can also substitute asparagus with other veggies like  brussels sprouts, zucchini, bell pepper. To kick up the heat add sliced jalapeno peppers and roast with the veggies.

Serving:

Serve hot along with salad and garlic bread.