This is a rich, delicious pasta dish for a rainy summer night from the June issue of Bon Appetit. The goat cheese really brings out the lemon flavor, and I was surprised how much I liked the asparagus cooked in the pasta water (usually I just like it grilled). I actually added some cooked, crumbled bacon pieces to the top to cut the rich flavor. My batch was uber-lemony, and this might be because I used some of my lemon olive oil in this dish. Next time, I’ll stick only to the lemon peel. It’s plenty of flavor in this dish.
As usual, I halved the original amounts (I’ve posted the halved version).
Pasta with Goat Cheese, Lemon, and Asparagus (adapted from June ’09 Bon Appetit)
3 servings
**Note from Bon Appetit: Don’t buy pre-crumbled goat cheese, it doesn’t melt as nicely.
1/2 lb. fusilli or rotini
1/2 lb. slender asparagus spears, trimmed and cut into 1-1.5″ pieces
1/8 cup olive oil
1 tsp chopped fresh tarragon (forgot this at the store, so I used dried)
3 ounces soft fresh goat cheese
3 slices bacon, chopped and cooked until crispy