Asparagus is in season, which means it’s time to stock up on this fleeting spring vegetable. And while we love roasted asparagus, sometimes we're in the mood for something new. Fortunately, cookbook author and TikTok recipe creator Hailee Catalano recently shared a brilliant and tasty new way to turn fresh asparagus into a creamy, dreamy pasta dish.
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This asparagus and ditalini, which Catalano first shared a couple of years ago, was a hit with fans and inspired a similar dish, creamy corn orzo, in Catalano’s recently released cookbook By Heart: Recipes to Hold Near and Dear.
In this dish, Catalano delivers cozy, grown-up mac and cheese vibes in a way that feels both elegant and easy. The short ditalini pasta is a clever match for the equally small rounds of asparagus, which cook quickly and mirror the pasta’s size for a cute and cohesive bite. Catalano adds a visual pop by slicing the delicate asparagus tips in half lengthwise, giving the dish a mix of textures. Asparagus and ditalini is a simple recipe that looks polished and impressive, but is sneakily simple, making it the perfect spring dinner.
Related: The Absolute Best Way To Prep Asparagus, According to Legendary Chef Jacques Pépin
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What is Ditalini?
Ditalini is a small, tube-shaped pasta whose name means "little thimbles" in Italian. The short, stubby noodles are often used in soups, like minestrone or pasta e fagioli and the little pasta tubes are also great for grabbing sauce.
Related: The Viral Recipe That Has Us Rushing Out to Buy Asparagus
@haileecatalanoditalini and asparagus
♬ original sound - Hailee CatalanoHow to Make Hailee Catalano's Asparagus and Ditalini
You can see Catalano put the dish together above, but here's what you need to know. Start by prepping the asparagus and finely chopping a shallot. Next, move over to the stove and heat up a splash of olive oil and a small knob of butter in a skillet. Catalano doesn't specify the heat, but I recommend using medium heat to avoid burning the butter or causing the oil to smoke.
When the butter is hot and melted, she tosses in the shallot, grates a few garlic cloves directly into the skillet and adds a sprinkle of crushed red pepper flakes. You can omit the red pepper if you’re not a fan of spice, or double down for more of a kick. The alliums and spices make a deeply flavorful base for the pasta sauce, which she finishes with a few glugs of white wine and lets simmer so the flavors can meld.
While the sauce cooks, Catalano adds a good amount of salt to a pot of boiling pasta water and adds the ditalini. When the ditalini is cooked, she uses a large slotted spoon (also known as a spider) to transfer it from the boiling water directly into the sauce. Next, Catalano tosses in the thinly sliced asparagus, which she says will “gently cook through with the pasta and not get overcooked.”
To the beautiful green mixture in her skillet, Catalano adds a big spoonful of rich, tangy mascarpone cheese and a “hefty” amount of freshly grated Pecorino Romano, plus a ladle of starchy pasta water to bring the sauce together. Pecorino is a hard, grainy sheep’s milk cheese similar to Parmesan. It’s saltier than Parmesan, so you won’t need to add much (if any) additional salt.
When the pasta is plated, Catalano tops it off with a dusting of lemon zest and chili flakes, plus another good shower of pecorino to ensure ultimate creaminess. Voila: a beautiful and vibrant springtime dish that checks all the boxes: creamy, bright and comforting.
Related: The Italian Way to Make Deviled Eggs 10x Better, According to Legendary Chef Lidia Bastianich
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