Ingredients
Salt and black pepper
12 ounces spiral or twisted pasta, such as cavatappi, strozzapreti or gemelli
1/3 cup sliced almonds, lightly toasted
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon, plus 1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic, about 5 large cloves
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
12 ounces whole milk ricotta
Grated Parmesan (optional)
12 medium thick asparagus spears (about 8 ounces), cut into ¼- to ½-inch pieces
6 scallions, thinly sliced
5 ounces baby spinach
1/4 cup chopped dill or tarragon
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Hot sauce, for serving (optional)
Directions
1
Bring a large pot of water to a boil, season generously with salt and cook the pasta until al dente. Reserve 1 1/2 cups pasta water, drain and set aside.
2
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, lightly crush the almonds by hand, then add the lemon zest, 1 teaspoon of the garlic and season with salt and black pepper. Toss to combine and set aside.
3
In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium-low and add the remaining 1 tablespoon garlic and cook, stirring occasionally until very aromatic, about 3 minutes. Stir in the ricotta and grated Parmesan, if using. Add ¾ cup pasta water and stir vigorously until smooth. Season with salt and black pepper.
4
Stir in the asparagus and continue to cook, stirring often, until the asparagus is crisp-tender, 3 to 5 minutes, then stir in the scallions and pasta. For a looser sauce, add ¼ cup of the remaining pasta water at a time and stir vigorously until your desired consistency is reached.
5
Stir in the spinach and dill to quickly wilt, then turn off the heat, stir in the lemon juice and more Parmesan, if using, to taste. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve with the almond crumble sprinkled over the top, along with a few dashes of hot sauce, if you like.
Notes
The almond crumble can be made up to 5 days in advance. Store in the fridge and refresh over medium-low heat on the stove-top or at a low temperature in the oven