Gemelli With Asparagus, Ricotta, Arugula, And Lemon Zest Recipe

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 pound asparagus, trimmed, peeled, and cut into 1-inch pieces
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pound of gemelli, fusilli, rotini or any other medium-thickness short pasta
• 1 cup fresh ricotta cheese
• 1 tablespoon zest from 1 lemon
• 2 cups loosely packed baby arugula leaves
• 2 ounces finely grated Pecorino Romano cheese, plus more for serving tableside

1. Heat oil in large heavy-bottomed sauce pot over high heat until just starting to smoke. Add asparagus pieces and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender-crisp and lightly browned. Season asparagus to taste with salt and pepper, transfer to bowl, and set aside. Do not clean sauce pot.
2. In a medium saucepan, bring 2 quarts of water and 1 teaspoon kosher salt to a boil over high heat. Add pasta and stir immediately. Allow to return to a boil, stir once vigorously, cover pot, and shut off heat. After one minute, stir one last time. Recover pot. Follow timing on box as a general guide for cooking time-start checking pasta 2 minutes before suggested cooking time and continue checking every minute until proper al dente texture is reached. Pasta should be fully softened, but retain a slight bite in the center. Drain pasta, reserving 2 cups of cooking liquid. Immediately transfer pasta to empty sauce pot from cooking asparagus.
3. Add asparagus, ricotta, lemon zest, arugula, grated cheese, and a few big twists of black pepper to the pasta. Add 1 cup pasta water and stir until all ingredients are combined and arugula has wilted. Continue adding pasta water until desired consistency is reached (the ricotta should turn into a creamy sauce that coats the noodles). Season to taste with salt and pepper, and serve immediately, passing more grated cheese at the table.

extravirgin olive oil, kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, gemelli, fresh ricotta cheese, zest from, arugula, romano cheese

Taken from www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2010/05/gemelli-with-asparagus-ricotta-arugula-and-lemon-zest-recipe.html (may not work)