I just couldn’t wait any longer, I had to buy some asparagus.  Of course, the bunch I bought was from Mexico because I don’t think it’s available locally quite yet.  I was inspired by this recipe from Giada which uses the asparagus in a simple pasta dish.  The original recipe also uses fresh tomatoes, but we’re months away from seeing anything like that around here, so I opened up a can.

I also bought a new product this week at Trader Joe’s: freshly shaved Parmesan, Romano, and Asiago.  Every good pasta dish needs at least a little cheese, and I really like this stuff.  The cheese is shaved in large pieces with a nice sharp flavor.  This is a great alternative to shredding the cheese yourself, because I am far too lazy for that.

In the end, this dish doesn’t have a ton of flavor, but it’s still a satisfying meal.  I think it will be much better when asparagus and/or tomatoes are truly in season, and a little bit of fresh basil might be good too.  I’ll try to be patient.

Pasta with Asparagus and Tomatoes

1 T olive oil
1 t minced garlic (or Garlic Gold toasted garlic bits)
1 bunch asparagus, stems removed and cut into 1″ pieces
1 (14.5 oz.) can petite diced tomatoes in juice
6 oz. whole wheat rotini, cooked and drained, reserving 1/2 c water
1/4 c. freshly shaved Parmesan, Romano, and Asiago cheese, plus more for serving

Heat olive oil in a large frying pan.  Add garlic, and fry for 1-2 minutes, being careful not to burn it.  Add asparagus pieces and stir fry for 5 minutes.  Add tomatoes and juice, and cover frying pan.  Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 5-10 minutes until asparagus is tender.  Add pasta to pan, and stir well.  Add cheese and toss to combine, adding reserved pasta water if dish is too dry.

-Adapated from Giada at the Food Network

• Main Dishes