Baked Pasta with Asparagus in Pink Sauce

Still snowing. I'm usually not much of a pasta person, but it's a fantastic way to combine the lighter flavors of spring veggies with my cold-induced cravings for rich, creamy carbohydrates. This dish is easy enough that even my dad could make it. If, you know, he were willing to make anything that called for heavy cream.



Baked Pasta with Asparagus in Pink Sauce
Serves 4-6

1 lb dry pasta (ziti, spirals, gluten-free, whatever)
2 tablespooons olive oil
1 yellow onion
1/2 head garlic
1 lb asparagus
2 cans diced tomatoes, with their juice
1/2 c heavy cream
salt and pepper
1 c parmigiano reggiano*
4 oz mozzarella

1. Preheat your oven to 350. Fill a large pot 2/3 full with cold water, set over high heat, and cover. Set a heavy, oven-proof casserole over medium-low heat and add the oil. Dice the onion and sautee until golden in color. Meanwhile, remove the tough ends from the asparagus and cut it into bite-sized pieces, and mince the garlic. Add them to the pan, and sautee 3 minutes.

2. Add the tomatoes and cream and bring to a simmer. Add about 3/4 of the parmigiano cheese and stir it in, then add salt and pepper to taste. Reduce heat to low.

3. Add the pasta to the boiling water along with a generous amount of salt. Cook according to package directions. Meanwhile, stir the sauce frequently and grate the remaining cheese. When the pasta is done, strain it and add it to the casserole with the sauce. Stir.

4. Sprinkle the mozzarella cheese and the rest of the parmigiano over the pasta/sauce mixture, and bake for 10 minutes to melt the cheese.

*The real stuff is stamped on the rind. Don't use the pre-grated gross stuff. You can substitute pecorino romano if you can't have cow-milk cheeses, but as it is much saltier and more pungent than parmigiano you'll want to cut down on the salt and use less.