Chef Christopher Lee uses ricotta salata, the salted and dried form of ricotta cheese, to add salty, tangy flavor to this meatless pasta dish.

Makes 8 (1-cup) servings.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes

Nutritional Information

For 1 serving
Calories: 297
Sodium: 663mg
Fat: 15g
Carbohydrates: 29g
Cholesterol: 38mg
Fiber: 3g
Protein: 8g

Penne Pasta with Asparagus, Peas, Ricotta Salata and Tarragon Butter

• Meatless

Ingredients

8 ounces penne pasta
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 medium shallots, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup Kitchen Basics® Unsalted Vegetable Stock
1 cup white wine
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen peas
1/2 pound asparagus, ends trimmed, sliced diagonally into 2-inch pieces
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
1/4 cup crème fraîche
2 tablespoons McCormick® Gourmet Collection Chives, Chopped
2 tablespoons McCormick® Gourmet Collection Parsley Flakes
2 tablespoons McCormick® Gourmet Collection Tarragon Leaves
Pinch McCormick® Gourmet Collection Red Pepper, Ground Cayenne
4 ounces ricotta salata, grated
1 teaspoon McCormick® Gourmet Collection Sicilian Sea Salt
1/2 teaspoon McCormick® Gourmet Collection Black Pepper, Coarse Grind

Directions

1. Cook pasta as directed on package. Drain well.

2. Meanwhile, heat oil in large skillet on medium heat. Add shallots and garlic; cook and stir 3 to 4 minutes or until lightly browned. Add stock and wine. Bring to boil; cook 5 minutes or until reduced by half. Add peas and asparagus; cook 3 minutes or until asparagus is tender-crisp. Stir in butter, crème fraîche, herbs and red pepper. Reduce heat to low; simmer 3 minutes.

3. Stir in pasta and ricotta salata; toss to coat well. Season with sea salt and pepper.

Tips

Test Kitchen Tip: Ricotta salata is available in the specialty cheese section of some supermarkets, specialty foods stores and Italian markets. Substitute feta cheese, if unavailable.

This recipe was created by Christopher Lee, Executive Chef at New York’s Aureole restaurant, for the McCormick® Gourmet Collection.

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