I have a bin problem. I’m going out of town (yes…again!)…and I have fresh CSA bin ingredients to use. I wanted something amazing. Something flavorful. Something that would use more than one item. Because…I don’t want to waste any of my fresh veggies and fruit that I get each week when I’m home.
So…the other night, I modified one of Giada De Laurentiis’ recipes. Her recipe was originally a penne recipe that incorporated asparagus and cherry tomatoes and other vegetables. I had the tomatoes and the asparagus…and I played with the vegetables I had instead of what she recommended…but no gluten-free penne on hand. But…I did have gluten-free pasta on hand, which I picked up on the eve of the Chicago Marathon from Da Luciano Pasta, Pizza & Catering.
This recipe is full of spring flavors, which is just what this winter-hating girl needed. And, yeah…FULL of amazing flavor. Light. Fresh. Delicious. The recipe is below!
Gluten-Free Pasta with Asparagus and Cherry Tomatoes
Servings: 4-6
Time: Prep 5 minutes; Cook 10 minutes
Ingredients:
- 8 ounces gluten-free pasta
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1-1/2 pounds thin asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 cups (about 9 ounces) cherry tomatoes
- 3 cups fresh spinach
- 1/2 cup low-sodium vegetable stock
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Directions:Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat.Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 6 to 10 minutes. Drain the pasta, reserving about 1/2 cup of the pasta water.In a large saute pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat.Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Add the asparagus, season with the salt and pepper, and cook for 3 minutes until slightly soft.
Add the cherry tomatoes and spinach.
Cook for 2 minutes. Pour the vegetable stock into the pan and bring the mixture to a simmer. Cook until the tomatoes start to burst and the stock is reduced by half, about 3 minutes.
Transfer the asparagus mixture to a large serving bowl. Add the cooked pasta and 1/2 of the Parmesan. Toss well, adding reserved pasta water, if needed, to loosen the pasta. Garnish with the remaining Parmesan and chopped basil.
The Celiathlete 