Penne and Asparagus Pesto

Name: Penne and Asparagus Pesto
Total time: 1200 s
Yield: 5 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 packages Penne pasta or spaghetti; 1 packages Grape or cherry tomatoes; 1 olive oil; 5 oz cheese (queso fresco); 10 garlic flavored cracker; 1 bunch Asparagus; 1 tbsp olive oil; 2 tbsp cream cheese; 2 tsp dried thyme; 2 tsp rosemary; 1 salt; 1 pepper

slobigc @cook_3848999

Buckeye, Arizona

Tastes very healthy and fresh. Loved it!

slobigc @cook_3848999

Buckeye, Arizona

Tastes very healthy and fresh. Loved it!

Saved

Ingredients

20 mins

5 servings

1 packagesPenne pasta or spaghetti
1 packagesGrape or cherry tomatoes
1olive oil
Pesto
5 ozcheese (queso fresco)
10garlic flavored cracker
1 bunchAsparagus
1 tbspolive oil
2 tbspcream cheese
2 tspdried thyme
2 tsprosemary
1salt
1pepper

Saved

Steps

20 mins

1

Bring pot of water to boil and add penne pasta. Cook to Al dente, drain and set aside.
2

While noodles are cooking, set oven to bake at 425. Cut bottom ends off of asparagus. Put rinsed asparagus and tomatoes on baking sheet and drizzle olive oil all over to coat.
3

Roast asparagus and tomatoes for 10 minutes depending on thickness of asparagus. As long as the tips are cooked...the rest of the stalk will be used in pesto. Remove from oven and set tomatoes aside.
4

Chop top tips of asparagus about 1" and set aside.
5

Crumble cheese and crackers into blender. Chop up remaining asparagus and drop into blender.
6

Add olive oil, cream cheese, thyme, rosemary, salt & pepper. Mix till a thick paste. May need to stir and foil it in.
7

In large bowl, add penne and half the pesto. Mix. Continue adding more pesto. I still had 1/4 cup left to use for another dish.
8

Serve portion of pasta on plate. Garnish with asparagus tips and tomatoes.
9

Substitute: I didn't have any pine nuts or sliced almonds. So I used crackers instead. It helps in making it a good thick paste.