Baked Pasta with Asparagus (Pasta al Forno con Asparagi)

I love fresh asparagus recipes. Got this one out of 100 Pasta Sauce Recipes. Serve with some crusty bread and a salad and you have a great dinner. It turns out great!

• Ready In: 50 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 14  ounces penne pasta (or other short pasta)
• 2  lbs asparagus
• 4  ounces butter (1 stick)
•  chicken stock
•  salt and pepper
• 10  ounces ricotta cheese (or similar curd cheese)
• 1  tablespoon olive oil
• 4  ounces  freshly-grated parmesan cheese
• 3  eggs

Directions

1. Wash Asparagus.
2. Remove any tough stalks and cut into short lengths.
3. You may want to split the length in half.
4. Melt about 3 tbs of butter in pan and cook the asparagus over a low heat for about 20 min.
5. Every so often, add a little chicken stock to keep it moist.
6. When the asparagus is done, season to taste.
7. While the asparagus is cooking, process the ricotta cheese with the oil.
8. Cook the pasta for half the time stated on the package.
9. Drain and immediately toss in the remaining butter and half the Parmesan.
10. Butter a deep oven dish.
11. Make a thin layer of pasta, then one of asparagus, then one of pasta again and then one of ricotta.
12. Repeat, finishing with the layer of pasta.
13. Beat together the eggs and the remaining cheese and pour over the top.
14. Sprinkle with black pepper.
15. Bake in a medium oven, 350 degrees for 20 minutes.