Roasted Garlic Herb Penne

🥘 Ingredients

• Parmesan cheese
  ½ cup
• Roma tomato
  2 unit
• asparagus
  1 lb
• capers
  2 oz
• chili flakes
  2 tsp
• garlic herb butter
  4 tbsp
• lemon
  2 unit
• olive oil
  2 tsp
• paper towels
• penne pasta
  12 oz
• pepper
• salt
• vegetable oil
  2 tbsp

🍳 Cookware

• large pot
• large pan

1. 

   1

   Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Once water is boiling, add penne pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, 10-12 minutes. Scoop out and reserve ½ cup pasta cooking water, then drain.

   penne pasta: 12 oz
2. 

   2

   Meanwhile, wash and dry all produce. Drain capers ; thoroughly pat dry with paper towels . Trim off and discard woody ends from asparagus ; cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces. Dice Roma tomato . Zest 1 tsp zest from lemon ; quarter lemon.

   capers: 2 oz, paper towels, asparagus: 1 lb, Roma tomato: 2 unit, lemon: 2 unit
3. 

   3

   Heat a large drizzle of vegetable oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Once oil is hot enough that a caper sizzles immediately when added to the pan, add capers and cook, stirring occasionally, until crispy, 1-3 minutes. Carefully transfer capers to a paper-towel-lined plate.

   vegetable oil: 2 tbsp
4. 

   4

   Heat a drizzle of oil in same pan over medium-high heat. Add asparagus and a pinch of chili flakes . Cook, stirring often, until bright green, 2-4 minutes. Add tomato and cook, stirring, until slightly softened, 1-2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper .

   chili flakes: 2 tsp, salt, pepper
5. 

   5

   Add penne, garlic herb butter , half the Parmesan cheese , and ⅓ cup reserved pasta cooking water to pan. Season with salt and pepper. Stir until thoroughly combined and a loose sauce has formed. (TIP: If sauce seems dry, stir in remaining cooking water a splash at a time.) Turn off heat; stir in a squeeze of lemon juice.

   garlic herb butter: 4 tbsp, Parmesan cheese: ½ cup
6. 

   6

   Divide pasta between bowls. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan, a drizzle of olive oil and as many crispy capers as you like (you may have capers leftover). Garnish with lemon zest and additional chili flakes (to taste). Serve with remaining lemon wedges on the side for squeezing over.

   olive oil: 2 tsp