For as long as I can remember, my favorite way to dress pasta is with a big ol’nub of butter. That’s it. Pasta and butter. Maybe some grated cheese. Maybe. That’s how I make it when I’m by myself.
I believe this started way back in childhood when my grandmother would take leftover spaghetti and fry it up with butter in her cast iron skillet. Not quite spaghetti. Kinda, sort of, almost a pancake. If I were a betting woman, I’d put my money down on this being the spark of my love of pasta and butter.
But sometimes the refrigerator needs to be cleaned out and you’re faced with asparagus and mushrooms that are on their last legs. And sometimes when that happens, you just happen to have spaghetti on the menu. So instead of having pasta and a salad, you incorporate the salad into your pasta. At least, that’s how it went down at my house.
So now that I’ve stumbled into the wonderful world of pasta with mushrooms and asparagus, I may have to plan a return visit.
Pasta with Mushrooms and Asparagus
Adapted from Angry Asian Creations
BAH Note: If you happen to have a fancy finishing olive oil in your pantry, you’ll want to pull it out for this. And if that fancy finishing olive oil just happens to have been kissed with meyer lemon, even better. To really fancypants it up, use any of Cipriani’s pastas. They are absolutely sublime and cook in three minutes.
- 1/2 pound pappardelle pasta
- 1 bunch asparagus, chopped
- zest and juice of 1 lemon
- 8 ounces mushrooms
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- grated parmesan cheese
Bring a pot of well salted water to a boil over high heat.
While the water comes to a boil, heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Cook the mushrooms until they release their liquid and begin to brown. Add the asparagus and cook until it is done to your liking. Add the lemon juice and zest, taste for seasoning, and add salt and pepper as necessary. Remove the pan from the heat while you cook the pasta.
Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook according to the package directions until al dente. Drain, reserving about 1/2 cup of the cooking water. Toss the pasta in with the vegetables and add cooking water if the pasta starts to stick together. Taste for seasoning again and add more salt and pepper if necessary.
Serve garnished with grated parmesan and a bit of finishing oil if you have some.
Bon Appetit Hon 
What a gorgeous photo! Sure doesn’t look like last legs any more.
Pasta with just butter was a panacea in my house growing up. Especially orzo or elbows.
Jennifer, hope you’ll give Angry Asian’s pasta a place at your table.
Pasta and butter are magic. This looks terrific.
Doesn’t everyone know that pasta + butter = magic?
goodness, this makes me think of spring and not the frigid ass 50degrees weather that we’re having now in autumn (weird how 50 degrees in Spring is fresh but in the Fall it’s deathly doom…)
tucking into something like this, something so fresh and simple, is perfection.
It’s is funny how the same exaction conditions can elicit such different emotions. This pasta is perfection. Thanks to you and DW for sharing.
It looks delicious!
It was delicious. Not to mention pretty freaking easy.
Can I have this now? It’s nearly lunch time 🙂
Sadly, what I have to lunch on today isn’t nearly as exciting as Angry Asian’s pasta. Although all the tweeting about adding a protein to turn this into a Hungry Man’s meal did make me want a big bowl of it at 9am.
Your photo is indeed particularly good-looking this morning! When I was little, pasta with butter and white rice were the only things I wanted to eat, so I totally identify. =)
I feel like I should have titled this recipe Pasta + Butter Lovers Pasta. I’m glad that I’m surrounded by fellow butter lovers.
butter, butter, butter, freakin’ doctors…..freakin’ blood fat…..
nuf said.
Papa Guy, I cannot say that this is the healthiest meal ever. But it is delicious. Perhaps in the most moderated of moderation you can enjoy a bite or two???
Great pic, had me drooling before I read the recipe. My kind food Wendi, simple and fantastic. Yum!