pasta asparagus, arugula and ricotta

3/4 pound thin asparagus, woody ends snapped off, cut into 1-inch lengths

Salt

3/4 pound penne, fusilli or bow-tie pasta

1/2 cup fresh ricotta

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

A generous handful of baby arugula or wild arugula leaves, rinsed and spun dry (about 1 ounce, or 1 cup tightly packed)

Freshly ground pepper

1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, and add a generous amount of salt. Add the asparagus. Cook pencil-thin asparagus for two minutes, three to four minutes if stems are medium-thick. Transfer to a bowl of ice-cold water. Drain and set aside.

2. Place the ricotta in a large pasta bowl.

3. Bring the water back to a boil, and add the pasta. Cookal dente, following the directions for timing on the package but checking a minute before the suggested cooking time. Stir 1/3 cup of the pasta cooking water into the ricotta. Drain the pasta and toss at once with the olive oil and ricotta, the arugula, asparagus and Parmesan. Serve hot.

Yield: Serves four

Advance preparation: Have everything prepped and ready to go hours ahead of time, then throw together this pasta at the last minute.