Brown Butter Gemelli
with Asparagus, Walnuts, and Lemony Ricotta
The week just isn’t complete without a pasta night. If you agree (and how could you not?), you’re in luck! Our chefs put together a dish that’s sure to curb the most ferocious of carb cravings. Twisty gemelli is studded with tender asparagus and cloaked in lemony, garlicky brown butter sauce. The dish is finished with dollops of creamy ricotta and a sprinkle of Parmesan and toasted walnuts. It doesn’t get much better than this, folks.
The quantities provided above are averages only.
Boxes and ingredients are packed in facilities that handles Peanut, Nuts, Sesame, Fish, Crustaceans, Milk, Egg, Mustard, Celery, Soya, Gluten and Sulphites. Due to the war in Ukraine, it has been necessary to substitute sunflower oil with rapeseed oil in some products without a label change. The FSA have advised that allergic reactions to rapeseed oil are rare.
Ingredients
8
Asparagus
1
Lemon
2
Garlic Clove
2
Scallions
6
Gemelli Pasta
(Contains Cereals containing gluten)
4
Ricotta Cheese
1
Chilli Flakes
¼
Parmesan Cheese
(Contains Milk)
1
Walnuts
(Contains Nuts May contain Peanut, Sesame, Nuts)
1
Vegetable Stock Concentrate
3
Butter
(Contains Milk)
Not included in your delivery
2
Olive Oil
Salt
Pepper
Nutritional information
Utensils
Instructions
Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Wash and dry all produce. Trim and discard woody bottom ends from asparagus; cut stalks crosswise into 1-inch pieces. Zest and quarter lemon. Mince garlic. Trim and thinly slice scallions, separating whites from greens. Cut 3 TBSP butter into cubes (6 TBSP for 4 servings).
Once water is boiling, add gemelli to pot. Cook until al dente, 9-11 minutes. Reserve 1 cup pasta cooking water, then drain. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine ricotta, lemon zest, a squeeze of lemon juice, and a large pinch of salt and pepper.
Heat a large, dry pan over medium-high heat. Add walnuts and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden and fragrant, 3-5 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Heat a drizzle of olive oil in same pan over medium-high heat. Add asparagus, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring, until browned and just tender, 4-6 minutes. Turn off heat; transfer to a plate. Wash out pan.
Add cubed butter to same pan over medium heat. Cook, stirring, until melted and foamy. Continue stirring until foaming subsides and butter is flecked with amber bits, 2-3 minutes. Immediately remove from heat and stir in juice from half the lemon, garlic, scallion whites, and chili flakes to taste. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 seconds to 1 minute.
Return same pan to medium heat and stir in gemelli, stock concentrate, and asparagus. Season with salt and pepper. Add half the Parmesan and a splash of reserved pasta cooking water. Cook, stirring and adding splashes of pasta cooking water as necessary until smooth and creamy, 2-3 minutes. TIP: If cheese clumps, continue stirring and adding splashes of pasta cooking water until smooth.
Taste and season gemelli with salt and pepper; divide between bowls. Dollop with lemony ricotta and sprinkle with scallion greens, toasted walnuts, remaining Parmesan, and a pinch of chili flakes if desired. Drizzle with olive oil. Cut remaining lemon wedge in half and serve on the side.
