Pasta With Asparagus, Arugula and Ricotta

• 3/4 pound thin asparagus, woody ends snapped off, cut into 1-inch lengths
• Salt
• 3/4 pound penne, fusilli or bow-tie pasta
• 1/2 cup fresh ricotta
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• A generous handful of baby arugula or wild arugula leaves, rinsed and spun dry (about 1 ounce, or 1 cup tightly packed)
• Freshly ground pepper
• 13 cup freshly grated Parmesan

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, and add a generous amount of salt.
2. Add the asparagus.
3. Cook pencil-thin asparagus for two minutes, three to four minutes if stems are medium-thick.
4. Transfer to a bowl of ice-cold water.
5. Drain and set aside.
6. Place the ricotta in a large pasta bowl.
7. Bring the water back to a boil, and add the pasta.
8. Cook al dente, following the directions for timing on the package but checking a minute before the suggested cooking time.
9. Stir 1/3 cup of the pasta cooking water into the ricotta.
10. Drain the pasta and toss at once with the olive oil and ricotta, the arugula, asparagus and Parmesan.
11. Serve hot.

thin, salt, penne, fresh ricotta, extra virgin olive oil, generous handful, freshly ground pepper, parmesan

Taken from cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1012566 (may not work)