Ingredients

1 pound farfalle pasta

3 tablespoons butter

1 pound cremini (baby portabello’s) mushrooms, thickly sliced (or morels in season)

1 pound thin asparagus, trimmed, cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces

1 cup mascarpone cheese

¼ tablespoon freshly grated nutmeg

¾ cup walnuts, toasted

¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan

Preparation

  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the farfalle and cook until al dente, stirring occasionally, about 12 minutes. Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of pasta water.

  2. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and sauté until tender and most of the juices have evaporated, about 5 minutes.

  3. Add the asparagus and sauté until the asparagus is crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Add the farfalle. Stir in the mascarpone and nutmeg and toss until the cheese coats the pasta, adding the reserved cooking liquid ¼ cup at a time to moisten. Stir in ½ cup of walnuts. Season the pasta, to taste, with salt and pepper.

  4. Mound the pasta in a large bowl. Sprinkle with the Parmesan and remaining ¼ cup of walnuts. Serve immediately