WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS For a super easy pasta salad that would impress any picnic crowd, we paired convenient store-bought cheese tortellini with crisp asparagus and a dressing inspired by the flavors of classic pesto. First, we blanched the asparagus in the same water we later used to cook the tortellini, which imbued the pasta with the asparagus’s delicate flavor. Once the tortellini were cooked, we marinated them briefly with bright, juicy cherry tomatoes in a bold dressing of extra-virgin olive oil, basil, lemon juice, shallot, and garlic. To finish the salad, we tossed in some grated Parmesan and toasted pine nuts along with the blanched asparagus just before serving. Cooking the pasta until it is completely tender and leaving it slightly wet after rinsing are important for the texture of the finished salad. Be sure to set up the ice water bath before cooking the asparagus; plunging the pieces into the cold water immediately after blanching retains their bright green color and ensures that they don’t overcook.

Serves 8 to 10

TOTAL TIME: 55 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
• Salt and pepper
• 1 pound dried cheese tortellini
• 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 shallot, minced
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 12 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved
• ½ cup chopped fresh basil
• 1 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated (½ cup)
• ¼ cup pine nuts, toasted

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Bring 4 quarts of water to boil in a large pot. Fill a large bowl halfway with ice and water.
2. Add asparagus and 1 tablespoon salt to boiling water and cook until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes.
3. Using a slotted spoon, transfer asparagus to ice water and let sit until cool, about 2 minutes.
4. Transfer asparagus to a baking sheet lined with triple layer of paper towels and dry well.
5. Return pot of water to boil. Add tortellini and cook, stirring often, until tender.
6. Drain tortellini, rinse with cold water, and drain again, leaving tortellini slightly wet.
7. Whisk oil, lemon juice, shallot, garlic, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper in a large bowl until combined.
8. Add tortellini and tomatoes and toss to combine. Cover and let sit for 15 minutes.
9. Stir in asparagus, basil, Parmesan, and pine nuts and season with salt and pepper to taste before serving.