chelsea'srecipes

1 package fresh pappardelle (or pasta of choice)

- 1 bunch skinny asparagus

- 1/2 cup ricotta

- 1 large can best-quality whole plum tomatoes

- 1 smallish onion

- 4 garlic cloves

- 1/4 cup white wine

- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

- 1/2 tsp sugar

- Olive oil

- Sea salt & fresh ground pepper

What you do:

1. Finely dice the onion and mash up the garlic in a press; place in a heavy-bottomed pot with a bit of olive oil and cook over medium-low heat until the onion is soft and translucent.

2. Add white wine to pot and cook down until the smell of alcohol is gone (2 minutes or so).

3. Pour can of tomatoes into pot and simmer gently for 15-20 minutes, or until tomatoes soften and break apart easily when pressed with the back of a spoon. Be careful not to break them apart too early, or the seeds will turn the sauce bitter.

4. While sauce simmers, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta according to package directions. For the last 3-4 minutes of cooking time, steam asparagus in the same pot by placing a vegetable steamer into the pot above the pasta (or steam the asparagus in its own pot until just fork-tender). Remove asparagus and cut into 1-inch pieces; drain pasta (reserving a little pasta water, just in case) and set aside (perhaps adding a splash of olive oil to loosen).

5. Remove sauce from heat and stir in balsamic vinegar and sugar. If the sauce seems too thick, just add a little pasta water. Season to taste with salt & pepper.

6. In a large bowl, toss together pasta, sauce, asparagus pieces, and ricotta. Adjust seasoning if needed, and serve.