I was making a fridge/freezer clearing veggie casarecce (Alta Valle Scrivia) pasta tonight that turned out even better than expected! It comes together so quickly and is so easy. This fantastic recipe was a happy little accident that my family keeps asking me to make again and again. This recipe is easily customized, if you want to make it vegetarian simply leave out the meatballs. If you have something that you think will work well, throw it in! The first time I made this dish the peas that I had were not good so I threw them away and it was still so delicious.

Equipment:
Pasta pot with salted boiling water
Large rondeau
Wooden spoon
Spider
Small sauce pot (if using peas)

Ingredients:
1T olive oil
1 large shallot, minced
2-3 garlic cloves, sliced
1lb asparagus, cut on a bias (save the tough stem bases in the freezer for a future veggie stock)
12oz casarecce pasta, cooked to al dente
16oz. Peas, steamed
14oz. Mini meatballs, heated through
8oz mascarpone
Handful of chives, chopped 
Salt and pepper. 

Method:
1. In the rondeau place the olive oil, shallot and garlic and sauté until translucent. In the pasta pot cook the asparagus for about 3 minutes, pull out with spider and lay flat on large plate to hold/cool. Then cook the pasta in the same water.
2. In the rondeau place the steamed peas and asparagus and toss with the shallot/garlic. When the pasta is al dente, toss it in the rondeau and if using also toss in the meatballs.
3. Finish by mixing in the mascarpone cheese adding pasta water as needed to make the sauce consistency that you prefer. Garnish with chives and season to taste with salt and pepper. Watch family devour 🙂

There were NO leftovers. It turned out SO delicious, seconds for everyone!

I hope you try this and modify with anything your family might like! Let me know how it goes!