How to Make Roasted Asparagus and Parmesan Penne

By eHow Food & Drink Editor

How to Make Roasted Asparagus and Parmesan Penne How to Make Roasted Asparagus and Parmesan Penne

Rate: (5 Ratings)

This is a delicious side dish or main dish for vegetarians. Roasting intensifies the delicate flavor of asparagus; it's best done with larger stems. Serves two as a main dish, four to six as a side dish.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

  • Groceries
  • Baking Dishes
  • Cheese Graters
  • Colanders
  • Skillets
  • Stockpots
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 lb. penne pasta
  • 1 bunch asparagus
  • 1 1/2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 shallots - finely diced
  • 2 garlic cloves - minced
  • 1/4 c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 tbsp. finely chopped Italian parsley
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Step1
Put a pot of water on to boil.
Step2
Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.
Step3
When the water is rolling, add 1 tsp. salt, then the penne. Cook until al dente.
Step4
Wash the asparagus in cool water, making sure to clean any residual soil and sand off the tips.
Step5
Cut about an inch off the bottom of each spear. Peel halfway up the bottoms of the stalks if they're thick.
Step6
Cut the spears on the diagonal into 2-inch pieces.
Step7
Put the asparagus in a baking dish and drizzle a little olive oil over the top.
Step8
Place in the oven and roast for 3 to 5 minutes, uncovered, or until the asparagus is tender when pierced with a knife.
Step9
Heat the olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat.
Step10
Add the shallot and sauté 2 minutes or until soft; add the garlic and sauté 1 more minute.
Step11
Toss the asparagus; penne; oil, shallot and garlic mixture; cheese and parsley. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately.

Tips & Warnings

  • Depending on how woody the stalks are, you may have to trim off more than an inch. You can try just breaking off the ends, as they'll usually break where the tender part of the stalk begins.
  • You can use Romano, Asiago or Pecorino grating cheese in place of Parmesan. Just make sure that you grate it yourself.
  • This dish would also be nice as a room-temperature salad.

Comments

| View All Comments
Anonymous

Anonymous said

Flag This Comment

on 11/22/2005 Add boneless chicken breast to this dish. Cut the chicken into bite size pieces. Season the chicken (i.e. add garlic powder, onion powder, pepper). Cook the chicken in 2 tbsp of olive oil. Finally, add it to the roasted asparagus and Parmesan penne.

Post a Comment

POST A COMMENT

Request a New How-To Article

Looking for more How To information? Chances are there’s an eHow member who knows how to do what you’re looking to do. Submit an article request now!

eHow Article: How to Make Roasted Asparagus and Parmesan Penne

eHow Food & Drink Editor

eHow Food & Drink Editor

Category: Food & Drink

Articles: See my other articles

Related Ads

Food & Drink

Bethenny
Meet Bethenny Frankel eHow’s Food & Drink Expert.