Baked Pasta With Asparagus (pasta Al Forno Con Asparagi)

Total Time: 50 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 14 ounces penne pasta (or other short pasta)
• 2 lbs asparagus
• 4 ounces butter (1 stick)
• chicken stock
• salt and pepper
• 10 ounces ricotta cheese (or similar curd cheese)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 ounces freshly-grated parmesan cheese
• 3 eggs

Recipe

• 1 wash asparagus.
• 2 remove any tough stalks and cut into short lengths.
• 3 you may want to split the length in half.
• 4 melt about 3 tbs of butter in pan and cook the asparagus over a low heat for about 20 min.
• 5 every so often, add a little chicken stock to keep it moist.
• 6 when the asparagus is done, season to taste.
• 7 while the asparagus is cooking, process the ricotta cheese with the oil.
• 8 cook the pasta for half the time stated on the package.
• 9 drain and immediately toss in the remaining butter and half the parmesan.
• 10 butter a deep oven dish.
• 11 make a thin layer of pasta, then one of asparagus, then one of pasta again and then one of ricotta.
• 12 repeat, finishing with the layer of pasta.
• 13 beat together the eggs and the remaining cheese and pour over the top.
• 14 sprinkle with black pepper.
• 15 bake in a medium oven, 350 degrees for 20 minutes.