Lemony Asparagus Pasta

This revivifying asparagus pasta dish from L.A.-based pastaiolo and restaurateur Evan Funke tastes like Italian springtime. It’s bright from both lemon juice and zest, rich from an emulsion of Parmesan cheese, and fresh from the addition of big leaves of fresh basil.

Chef-owner of Felix Trattoria, among other establishments, Funke believes pasta sauces should celebrate the craftsmanship of noodles (we chose spaghetti, but fettuccine, penne, or whatever pasta you’ve got on hand will be fine) rather than try to steal the spotlight. The citrusy lemon-asparagus pasta sauce does just that. The recipe requires very little prep time, so you can easily make this on a weeknight.

Remove the woody ends from a bunch of fresh asparagus spears. We like thick asparagus here, sliced thinly on a deep diagonal so the pieces bend and twirl around your fork in concert with the pasta; if you can only find thin asparagus, slice the veggies into 1½”–2″ pieces instead. You only want to sauté the asparagus for a moment so it retains its verdant hue—it will cook to crisp-tender when you start to work in the pasta water for the sauce.

If fresh asparagus isn’t in season, skip the year-round asparagus and try a creamy one-pot pasta with frozen peas, mint, and black pepper; lemon zucchini pasta; or a straightforward pasta al limone.