A time saving pasta is a great go-to meal any night of the week. As it is summer we have the luxury of being able to use the bounty of the season to make quick and healthy meals. Meals that contain fresh vegetables and let them sing like today’s recipe for quick asparagus and tomato pasta.
Pancetta is the Italian version of bacon, but it isn’t smoked. You can keep a piece of pancetta, wrapped well (in plastic wrap and a ziplock bag) in your freezer, to have on hand for recipes like this one. If you don’t have pancetta, you could use bacon, or skip the pancetta altogether and just add 3 tbs of oil to your pan. If you leave out the pancetta, this recipe will be vegetarian.
Quick Asparagus and Tomato Pasta
Ingredients
- 255g grape or cherry tomatoes
- 1 tbs oil. I like to use PurOlivia a canola and olive oil blend, but any cooking oil will do.
- 1/4 tsp salt, pepper, granulated onion and granulated garlic
- 1lb asparagus
- 8 oz pancetta, diced (optional) or 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 shallots, chopped
- 1/2 tsp granulated onion, pepper, and granulated garlic
- 1 package 400gr gluten-free Rummo Mezzi Rigatoni N ° 51 pasta
- 4 cups of pasta water
- 3 tbs pesto or 1/4c fresh basil
- 2 cloves garlic (optional)
- 2 tablespoons Parmigiana Reggiano (optional)
- 2-3 tablespoons olive oil (optional)
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 375°
- Wash and dry cherry tomatoes.
- Cut the tomatoes in half.
- Put the cut tomatoes in a bowl and add oil, salt, pepper, granulated onion, and granulated garlic.
- Mix the tomatoes and seasonings, well.
- Line a small pan with parchment paper, and place tomatoes in a single layer on the paper.
- Cook the tomatoes for 15 minutes, then take them out of the oven turn the tomatoes over and cook for an additional 15 minutes.
- While the tomatoes cook, clean your asparagus by snapping off the woody base. If you hold the the asparagus in the middle and put your other had at the bottom of the asparagus and bend, the stock will break where the inedible woody part ends. Keep the larger part with the tip and discard the base.
- Cut the stock of asparagus into 1/2 inch pieces.
- Let the asparagus pieces soak in a bowl of lightly salted water- this helps clean the tips of the asparagus.
- While the asparagus are soaking, dice your pancetta.
- In a large pan, cook pancetta on medium heat. You want the fat to render out.
- Using a slotted spoon, remove the crispy panchetta pieces from the pan leaving only the pancetta drippings behind.
- Put the pancetta on a plate covered with a piece of paper towel to absorb up any fat still remaining.
- Put a large pot of salted water on to boil for the pasta.
- Chop shallots.
- Fry shallots in pancetta drippings, or in oil, if you aren’t using panchetta.
- Drain your chopped asparagus.
- When the shallots become fragrant add in asparagus.
- Cook until asparagus is fork tender- don’t over cook.
- Turn the heat off, leaving the pan on the stove.
- Add in the blistered tomatoes from the oven.
Tip: Scrape parchment with a silicone spatula to get any “tomatoey goodness” left behind.
- Add seasoning (pepper, granulated onion, and granulated garlic)
- Cook pasta to the package direction- should be al dente.
- Once pasta is cooked, using a heatproof measuring cup, remove 4 cups of pasta water and set aside.
- Drain the remaining water out of your pasta.
- Mix the pasta into the tomato, shallot, and asparagus mixture.
- Turn burner on to low heat.
- Add pesto to the pasta- if you don’t have homemade or store bought pesto, simply add in a 1/4 cup of chopped basil.
Tip: If you don’t have pesto you can pulse 1/4c basil with 2 cloves of garlic, and 2 tablespoons Parmigiana.
- Add Reggiano and a 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil your food processor.
- Pour in 1 c of pasta water into the pasta and asparagus mixture and stir well.
- Toss in pancetta and mix in.
- Taste the pasta and adjust the seasoning as needed.
- Serve immediately.
- Offer hot pepper flakes and Parmesan cheese to top the pasta.
Tip: Keep your pasta water to add if the pasta sauce seizes up or becomes too dry. If you have leftovers again, add some pasta water, so you have delicious moist pasta when you reheat it.
You can read about how to preserve your tomatoes by roasting them via this link and keeping them in the fridge. You could use those roasted tomatoes in this quick tomato and asparagus pasta recipe, which would save you time and several steps.
Our quick asparagus and tomato pasta is an easy and sophisticated dish that is perfect for both a weeknight dinner or a dinner for a more special occasion.
Enjoy.
Preheat oven to 375° Add seasoning (pepper, granulated onion, and granulated garlic) Reggiano and a 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil your food processor. Scrape parchment with a silicone spatula to get any “tomatoey goodness” left behind. If you don’t have pesto you can pulse your 1/4c basil with 2 cloves of garlic, 2 tablespoons Parmigiana. Keep your pasta water to add if the pasta sauce seizes up or becomes too dry. If you have leftovers again, add some pasta water, so you have delicious moist pasta when you reheat it.
Ingredients
INSTRUCTIONS/NOTES/TIPS
Wash and dry cherry tomatoes.
Cut the tomatoes in half.
Put the cut tomatoes in a bowl and add oil, salt, pepper, granulated onion, and granulated garlic.
Mix the tomatoes and seasonings, well.
Line a small pan with parchment paper, and place tomatoes in a single layer on the paper.
Cook the tomatoes for 15 minutes, then take them out of the oven turn the tomatoes over and cook for an additional 15 minutes.
While the tomatoes cook, clean your asparagus by snapping off the woody base. If you hold the the asparagus in the middle and put your other had at the bottom of the asparagus and bend, the stock will break where the inedible woody part ends. Keep the larger part with the tip and discard the base.
Cut the stock of asparagus into 1/2 inch pieces.
Let the asparagus pieces soak in a bowl of lightly salted water- this helps clean the tips of the asparagus.
While the asparagus are soaking, dice your pancetta.
In a large pan, cook pancetta on medium heat. You want the fat to render out.
Using a slotted spoon, remove the crispy panchetta pieces from the pan leaving only the pancetta drippings behind.
Put the pancetta on a plate covered with a piece of paper towel to absorb up any fat still remaining.
Put a large pot of salted water on to boil for the pasta.
Chop shallots.
Fry shallots in pancetta drippings, or in oil, if you aren’t using panchetta.
Drain your chopped asparagus.
When the shallots become fragrant add in asparagus.
Cook until asparagus is fork tender- don’t over cook.
Turn the heat off, leaving the pan on the stove.
Add in the blistered tomatoes from the oven.
Cook pasta to the package direction- should be al dente.
Once pasta is cooked, using a heatproof measuring cup, remove 4 cups of pasta water and set aside.
Drain the remaining water out of your pasta.
Mix the pasta into the tomato, shallot, and asparagus mixture.
Turn burner on to low heat.
Add pesto to the pasta- if you don’t have homemade or store bought pesto, simply add in a 1/4 cup of chopped basil.
Pour in 1 c of pasta water into the pasta and asparagus mixture and stir well.
Toss in pancetta and mix in.
Taste the pasta and adjust seasoning as needed.
Serve immediately.
Offer hot pepper flakes and Parmesan cheese to top the pasta.NOTES/TIPS