ingredients
- 12 oz penne pasta
- 12 oz asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 roma tomato, diced
- 1/4 oz chives, minced
- 2 lemons, zested and quartered
- 1/2 c panko breadcrumbs
- 1 oz almonds
- 1 tsp chili flakes
- 4 tbsp garlic herb butter
- 1/2 c parmesan cheese
- 5 tsp olive oil
- 3 tbsp butter
instructions
bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. once boiling, add penne to pot. cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, 9-11 minutes. reserve 1 cup pasta cooking water, then drain.
melt 1 tbsp plain butter in a large pan over medium-high heat. add panko and almonds; season with salt and pepper. cook, stirring, until golden brown, 3-4 minutes. turn off heat. add a pinch of lemon zest and chili flakes. transfer to a small bowl.
heat a drizzle of olive oil in same pan over medium-high heat. add asparagus and cook, stirring often, until bright green and tender, 2-4 minutes. add tomato and cook, stirring, until slightly softened, 1-2 minutes. season with salt and pepper.
add penne, garlic herb butter, half the parmesan , and ½ cup reserved pasta cooking water to pan with veggies; stir until thoroughly combined. season with salt and pepper.
add 2 tbsp plain butter, half the chives, remaining lemon zest, and as many remaining chili flakes as you like. cook, stirring, until everything is thoroughly coated in sauce, 1-2 minutes. if needed, stir in more reserved pasta cooking water a splash at a time. turn off heat; stir in a squeeze of lemon juice to taste. taste and season with salt and pepper.
divide pasta between bowls. sprinkle with panko mixture and remaining parmesan. drizzle each bowl with olive oil. garnish with remaining chives. serve with remaining lemon wedges on the side.