Penne with Asparagus

By PKMom

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 1/2 pounds asparagus, ends trimmed, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
• 2 1/2 cups chopped onions (or use onion powder for flavour)
• 2 large garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 28-ounce can Italian-style tomatoes
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon (scant) dried crushed red pepper
• 3/4 pound penne, freshly cooked
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• Additional grated Parmesan cheese

Details

Servings 4

Preparation

Step 1

Melt butter with oil in heavy large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add asparagus and sauté 3 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer asparagus to bowl. Add onions and garlic to Dutch oven. Sauté until light golden, about 10 minutes. Add tomatoes with their juices, oregano and crushed red pepper. Bring sauce to boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until sauce thickens slightly, breaking up tomatoes with back of spoon and stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes.

Return asparagus to sauce. Cook until asparagus is crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Add penne and 1/2 cup cheese. Toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer pasta to large bowl. Serve, passing additional cheese separately.

Variation:
For a cheese based penne, replace tomatoes with cream, shredded & parmesan cheese. Add cream and some cheese for sauce, simmer. Add asparagus back in, cook until tender, adding cheese or cream as needed.