Brown Butter Gemelli

🥘 Ingredients

• asparagus
  10 oz
• butter
  3 tbsp
• chili flakes
  1 tsp
• garlic
  2 cloves
• gemelli pasta
  7 oz
• lemon
  1 unit
• olive oil
  2 tbsp
• parmesan cheese
  2 oz
• ricotta cheese
  3 oz
• scallions
  3 unit
• veggie stock concentrate
  1 tsp
• walnuts
  2 oz

🍳 Cookware

• medium pot
• small bowl
• large pan

1. 

   1

   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 butter into cubes.

   asparagus: 10 oz, lemon: 1 unit, garlic: 2 cloves, scallions: 3 unit, butter: 3 tbsp
2. 

   2

   Once water is boiling, add gemelli pasta to pot. Cook until al dente ⏱️ 10 minutes . Reserve 1 cup pasta cooking water, then drain. Meanwhile, in a small bowl , combine ricotta cheese , lemon zest, a squeeze of lemon juice, and a large pinch of salt and pepper.

   gemelli pasta: 7 oz, ricotta cheese: 3 oz
3. 

   3

   Heat a large pan over medium-high heat. Add walnuts and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden and fragrant ⏱️ 4 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 ⏱️ 5 minutes . Turn off heat; transfer to a plate. Wash out pan.

   walnuts: 2 oz, olive oil: 2 tbsp
4. 

   4

   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 ⏱️ 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 ⏱️ 45 seconds .

   chili flakes: 1 tsp
5. 

   5

   Return same pan to medium heat and stir in gemelli, veggie stock concentrate , and asparagus. Season with salt and pepper. Add half the parmesan cheese and a splash of reserved pasta cooking water. Cook, stirring and adding splashes of pasta cooking water as necessary until smooth and creamy ⏱️ 2 minutes . TIP: If cheese clumps, continue stirring and adding splashes of pasta cooking water until smooth.

   veggie stock concentrate: 1 tsp, parmesan cheese: 2 oz
6. 

   6

   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.