ingredients
- 12 oz penne pasta
- 12 oz asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 roma tomato, diced
- 1/4 oz chives, minced
- 2 lemons, zested and quartered
- 1/2 c panko breadcrumbs
- 1 oz almonds
- 1 tsp chili flakes
- 4 tbsp garlic herb butter
- 1/2 c parmesan cheese
- 5 tsp olive oil
- 3 tbsp butter
instructions
-
bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. once boiling, add penne to pot. cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, 9-11 minutes. reserve 1 cup pasta cooking water, then drain.
-
melt 1 tbsp plain butter in a large pan over medium-high heat. add panko and almonds; season with salt and pepper. cook, stirring, until golden brown, 3-4 minutes. turn off heat. add a pinch of lemon zest and chili flakes. transfer to a small bowl.
-
heat a drizzle of olive oil in same pan over medium-high heat. add asparagus and cook, stirring often, until bright green and tender, 2-4 minutes. add tomato and cook, stirring, until slightly softened, 1-2 minutes. season with salt and pepper.
-
add penne, garlic herb butter, half the parmesan , and ½ cup reserved pasta cooking water to pan with veggies; stir until thoroughly combined. season with salt and pepper.
-
add 2 tbsp plain butter, half the chives, remaining lemon zest, and as many remaining chili flakes as you like. cook, stirring, until everything is thoroughly coated in sauce, 1-2 minutes. if needed, stir in more reserved pasta cooking water a splash at a time. turn off heat; stir in a squeeze of lemon juice to taste. taste and season with salt and pepper.
-
divide pasta between bowls. sprinkle with panko mixture and remaining parmesan. drizzle each bowl with olive oil. garnish with remaining chives. serve with remaining lemon wedges on the side.