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About This Recipe:
Looking for a pasta dish that celebrates the fresh flavors of spring? Look no further than this Creamy Asparagus Penne with Anchovies and Herbs, featuring tender asparagus and juicy artichoke hearts from the garden, combined with a creamy, herb-infused sauce that will have you coming back for seconds.
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This recipe starts with al dente penne pasta, cooked to perfection and then tossed with tender asparagus, plump artichoke hearts, and a flavorful mix of anchovies, garlic, and fresh herbs, including parsley and thyme, straight from the garden. The dish is then topped off with a luscious egg yolk and Parmesan cheese sauce that brings all the flavors together.
Not only is this dish delicious, but it’s also a great way to showcase the best of what spring has to offer. The asparagus and artichoke hearts are both in season during the spring months, meaning you’ll be able to enjoy them at the height of their freshness and flavor. And the creamy, herb-infused sauce brings everything together in a way that is sure to impress.
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So if you’re looking for a fresh, flavorful pasta dish that celebrates the bounty of spring, look no further than this Creamy Asparagus Penne with Anchovies and Herbs. It’s sure to become a new favorite in your recipe rotation!
Watch Me Make This Recipe:
@carmeninthegarden Orange blossom kumquat sour and asparagus artichoke penne with anchovy herb sauce. Sign up for my newsletter to get these two recipes! 💚👩🏻‍🌾🫶 #garden #gardentok #cooking #spring #gardentotable ♬ original sound – Carmen in the Garden
Learn More About The Ingredients:
all about artichokes: how to plant, grow, harvest and cook
More Seasonal Recipes and Gardening Tips:
- Sample Blocks
- Kale & White Bean Soup with Sun-Dried Tomatoes
- Candied (Buddha’s Hand) Citron
- Calamansi Curd Thumbprint Cookies
- Brown Butter Carrot Purée (with make-ahead brown butter concentrate)
How To Make This Recipe:
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Creamy Asparagus Penne with Anchovies and Herbs
Fresh asparagus and artichokes, tossed in a creamy herb sauce with anchovies and Parmesan cheese, make this penne pasta dish perfect for spring!
Ingredients
- 6–8 ounces penne pasta
- 4 ounces asparagus, trimmed and cut into bite-sized pieces
- 2 artichoke hearts, quartered
- 3 anchovy fillets, finely chopped
- 1/8 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 sprig of thyme, leaves only, chopped
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Cook the penne pasta in a pot of boiling salted water according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1/4 cup of the pasta water before draining the pasta.
- While the pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and chopped anchovy fillets and cook for 1-2 minutes until the anchovy has dissolved and the garlic is fragrant.
- Add the chopped asparagus and quartered artichoke hearts to the skillet and cook for 5-7 minutes until the asparagus is tender.
- Add the chopped thyme and chopped parsley to the skillet and cook for an additional minute.
- Add the cooked penne pasta to the skillet and stir until the sauce has thickened and coated the pasta evenly. If the sauce is too thick, add some of the reserved pasta water to thin it out.
- Add the grated Parmesan cheese and egg yolk to the skillet and stir to combine.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot, garnished with additional Parmesan cheese and chopped herbs if desired.





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