Penne and Asparagus with Ricotta Cheese

Name: Penne and Asparagus with Ricotta Cheese
Yield: makes 6 servings
Ingredients: 1 (14 1/2-ounce) box of fiber-enriched penne pasta (I used Ronzoni Smart Taste Penne Rigate); 1 pound trimmed asparagus, cut into 2-inch diagonal pieces; 2 teaspoons freshly minced garlic; 1 cup low-fat ricotta cheese (I used Precious, which is the same as Sorrento in various parts of the country); 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil; 1/4 cup reduced-fat grated Parmesan cheese (look for it in a plastic canister or jar, not in the refrigerated section); Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste; Crushed red pepper flakes, to taste, optional

December 9, 2011

If you prefer, you can always substitute a brown rice, whole-wheat, or whole-grain pasta for the fiber-enriched variety. I get a lot of letters and e-mails from home cooks around the country saying they are able to make my recipes for the whole family even though their spouses and children won’t generally eat healthy food, because my recipes actually taste fattening. To keep with that tradition, I opt for the fiber-enriched pasta since it adds needed fiber to our diets while still tasting more like traditional pasta.

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