Roasted Asparagus Salad With Pasta

ASPARAGUS: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Brush a baking sheet with half the olive oil.

Trim the ends of the asparagus, place them on the sheet, and turn to coat with oil. Roast until the tip of a knife easily pierces the thickest stalk, 5 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and cut into 2-inch lengths, then place on a platter.

DRESS THE ASPARAGUS: Add remaining olive oil, the balsamic vinegar, and salt, and toss gently. If you are preparing ahead of time, cover the platter and marinate at room temperature for several hours.

PASTA: While the asparagus is roasting, cook the penne according to the directions on the package for al dente. Drain in a colander and rinse briefly under cold water. Shake the colander gently to drain completely.

Toss with the 1 reserved artichoke oil. Set aside. Cut the artichoke hearts in half. Set aside.

To make the dressing, in a small bowl, whisk together the rice wine vinegar, garlic, salt and pepper, to taste. Add the extra-virgin olive oil gradually, whisking until an emulsion forms. Stir in the chopped basil.

Place the pasta in a large serving bowl. Add the roasted asparagus, spinach mushrooms, artichoke hearts, green onions, and parsley. Toss together gently. Pour [some of ] the dressing over the mixture and toss again, gently but thoroughly.

Garnish with the basil strips at serving time. Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate 8 hours.

Recipe Source: Barbara Lauterbach