Asparagus & Lemon Pasta

Recipe by The Gourmet RD

It's clear I have 2 major obsessions: Pasta and soup. Well, I am obsessed with food in general, but after looking through my past recipes, I realize that I have an inordinate number of pasta

Ingredients

• 1 lb asparagus, (trimmed and cut into 2 inch pieces)
• 1 lb whole grain spaghetti
• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil plus more for garnish
• 2 cloves garlic (minced)
• medium lemons
• coarse salt and ground black pepper (to taste)
• 2 large egg yolks
• ½ cup fresh Parmesan cheese, (grated or shredded plus more for garnish )

Method

1. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Blanch asparagus for 2-3 minutes. Remove asparagus with a slotted spoon and shock in a large bowl of ice water. Drain and set aside.
   
   Add spaghetti to the boiling water and cook according to package directions. Drain spaghetti, reserving about 1 cup pasta water. Set aside.
   
   In the same pot, heat ¼ cup olive oil to medium-high. Add garlic and sauté 60-90 seconds, until fragrant. Add lemon zest and juice. Add 1 cup pasta water and bring to a simmer for about a minute, allowing it to slightly thicken.
   
   Add spaghetti back into the pot and toss with a generous dash of salt and black pepper. Shut off the heat. Add egg yolks and toss, using tongs.
   
   Add ½ cup Parmesan cheese and continue to toss the pasta, until it forms a creamy sauce. Taste and adjust seasonings, if necessary. Add asparagus and toss to combine. Distribute pasta into bowls and top with a drizzle of olive oil, Parmesan cheese and freshly cracked black pepper.

View the recipe instructions at The Gourmet RD