thursday tulips

Last night after a 5 mile sweaty run (although who can complain in this 80 degree weather) I was craving replacement carbs. I hightailed it to the grocery to pick up some produce and a treat for my coffee table. I was on a mission for a light pasta, inspired by Mom, made up in my head.

The evening was one of those, pardon the cliche, magical weeknights. I came home, turned on some Bon Iver and Holly Conlan, chopped and sauteed while I sang, opened the front doors and turned on the fans, bundled some purple tulips in a crisp white vase and enjoyed a fantastic pasta meal on the front porch alone at dusk.

Light Summery Pasta

1 bundle of asparagus
1 box of cherry tomatoes
2 garlic cloves
red pepper flakes
salt & pepper
extra virgin olive oil (evoo)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Snap the ends of asparagus off and on medium heat tender them on the stove so that they are crisp (but not raw and not fully cooked). Meanwhile, chop the cherry tomatoes in half and arrange them sitting up on a flat pan. Dust with salt and pepper and evoo. Place the cherry tomatoes in the stove for 10 minutes (this makes them increeeeeeedibly sweet and delicious). Chop garlic finely. Boil hot water and cook pasta. Remove water from the pan with asparagus and keep over medium heat. Drizzle evoo and some salt to sautee them a bit. Combine cherry tomatoes, garlic and pasta into the asparagus pan, sprinkle in red pepper flakes and let simmer a bit to combine flavors. ENJOY a light and delicious spring/summery pasta! This recipe is also good cold (as leftovers!)