Penne With Asparagus, Proscuitto And Lemon

• 1 pound penne rigate
• 3/4 cup pecorino romano cheese, freshly grated
• 3/4 cup fontina cheese, freshly grated
• 3 tablespoons ricotta cheese
• 1-1/2 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup rich chicken stock (2 cups good quality low-sodium stock, reduced by half)
• 1 bunch asparagus, washed, dried and root ends trimmed
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
• 1 tablespoon fresh tarragon, finely minced
• 5 ounces thinly sliced imported prosciutto, roughly chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and a few grinds of white pepper
• 1/3 cup seasoned breadcumbs

1. Preheat oven to 500 ?.
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil for the pasta.
3. For the breadcrumbs - in a saute pan heat 2 tablespoons EVOO over medium heat and toast 1 cup of panko breadcrumbs, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper until golden brown. Spread on a plate to cool. (Keep the balance for 2 days in the fridge, or a long time in the freezer).
4. In a large bowl, combine the cream, reduced stock, lemon zest, tarragon, cheeses, salt and pepper.
5. Slice the asparagus on an extreme bias, about 1/8-1/4" thick and toss into a small bowl with the melted butter, mix to coat.
6. Boil the pasta for 4 minutes, then drain and toss into the bowl with the cream and other ingredients, mix well.
7. Pour the pasta into a large baking dish or roasting pan so that it fits comfortably in a thin layer no more than 1" deep. Sprinkle the sliced asparagus and chopped prosciutto on top and toss it into the oven for 10-12 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling, and the pasta is just starting to brown.
8. Remove from the oven and serve, passing breadcrumbs to sprinkle on top if desired (highly recommended).

penne rigate, pecorino romano cheese, fontina cheese, ricotta cheese, heavy cream, chicken, root, butter, lemon zest, fresh tarragon, kosher salt

Taken from food52.com/recipes/2793-penne-with-asparagus-proscuitto-and-lemon (may not work)