Mushroom asparagus pasta with ricotta

 

Pappardelle with asparagus and mushrooms
Adapted from “Super Tuscan” by Gabriele Corcos and Debi Mazar. Note: The original recipe called for fresh nipitella, which isn’t something I run across here, or subbing in fresh mint, which I avoid like the plague. Since lemon balm is a recurring volunteer on my patio, it seemed a logical substitute, with a touch of tarragon for tang.

Ingredients
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 large garlic clove, crushed
10 ounces mushrooms, sliced (cremini worked well)
1½ pounds thin asparagus, woody ends snapped off
2 teaspoons lemon balm, chopped
1 teaspoon tarragon leaves, chopped
1 pound pappardelle or fettucine, cooked just to al dente, reserving some pasta water
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup fresh ricotta
Optional additions to ricotta topping: 1 clove minced garlic, zest of 1 lemon and 2 teaspoons chopped lemon balm or tarragon

Method
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Toss asparagus with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Roast for 10 minutes, turning once, until just crisp tender. Remove from oven and chop into 1 to 2-inch lengths.

While asparagus is roasting and pasta is cooking, heat remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large deep skillet. Add garlic and cook until just fragrant. Add mushrooms and cook until beginning to brown.

Add cooked chopped asparagus to the pan along with lemon balm and herbs. Season with sea salt and freshly grated pepper. When pasta is cooked and drained, add to pot along with Parmesan and as much cooking liquid as needed for sauce consistency.

Serve with a generous dollop of ricotta, mixing in garlic, lemon zest and herbs if desired.

Rating: Perfectly serviceable as first attempted, but when we had second helpings I swapped in a dollop of Green Goddess ricotta dip we had on hand, which really upped the game.If I make this one again, I'm definitely going to add herbs and garlic to the ricotta for that additional flavor burst.