Pasta with Asparagus, Pancetta, and Pine Nuts

Pasta with Asparagus, Pancetta, and Pine Nuts

Ingredients:
8 oz uncooked cavatappi pasta

1 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut diagonally into 1 1/2-inch pieces
1 tsp minced garlic
3 Tbsp pine nuts
2 oz diced pancetta
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 C (1 ounce) crumbled Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400°.

2. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; add asparagus to pan during last 3 minutes of cooking. Drain. Sprinkle pasta mixture with garlic; return to pan, and toss well.
3. Arrange pine nuts in a single layer on a jelly-roll pan. Bake at 400° for 3 minutes or until golden and fragrant, stirring occasionally. Place in a small bowl.
4. Increase oven temperature to 475°.
5. Arrange pancetta on jelly-roll pan. Bake at 475° for 6 minutes or until crisp.
6. Combine lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper, stirring with a whisk. Drizzle over pasta mixture; toss well to coat. Sprinkle with pine nuts, pancetta, and cheese.

Notes:
Everyone really liked this. It was a tad salty for my taste with all the kosher salt and the pancetta, but since we added a little more pancetta than the recipe called for, that might have been our fault. Very tasty overall and we'll definitely be making this again.