Farfalle Pasta with Cannellini Beans and Asparagus in a White Mushroom Yogurt Sauce

Little should need to be said about this plate except that the length of the name is matched by the ease of the dish's preparation and by the breadth and delight of the flavors. And if asparagus in season is not incentive enough, the mushroom yogurt sauce is simply too good to be believed. After you've tasted it, you'll be tempted to make another batch just to spoon up on its own.

Farfalle Pasta with Cannellini Beans and Asparagus in a White Mushroom Yogurt Sauce

Recipe by Lisa Turner Cuisine: Italian Published on June 7, 2008 Beautiful spring asparagus and pasta dish smothered in a rich, tangy and delicious mushroom yogurt sauce Preparation: 15 minutes Cooking time: 1 hour 40 minutes Print this recipe Pasta: 1/2 cup dried cannellini (white kidney) beans 1 cup water 2 cups vegetable stock 3 cups dry farfalle or bowtie pasta 1 bunch fresh asparagus, ends snapped off and cut into 2-inch pieces Sauce: 2 tablespoons butter 2 shallots, finely chopped 8 oz (225 g) white or cremini mushrooms 3/4 cup plain whole-fat yogurt, whisked until smooth 1/3 cup dry white wine 1/4 cup reserved cooking liquid from the beans juice from 1 lemon (3 tablespoons) 1/4 teaspoon mustard powder 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, trimmed and finely chopped 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste fresh ground black pepper Instructions: Rinse the beans and soak for 8 hours or overnight in several inches of water. Drain and rinse, then transfer to a medium saucepan and cover with 1 cup of fresh water and the vegetable stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1 hour or until the beans are soft but not falling apart. Drain, reserving the cooking liquid for the mushroom sauce. Melt the butter in a large saucepan or wok over medium heat. Toss in the shallots and cook for 2 minutes to soften. Stir in the mushrooms, cover, and cook for 10 minutes or until the mushrooms are reduced but still slightly plump. Remove the lid and stir in the yogurt, white wine, 1/4 cup of the reserved cooking liquid from the beans, lemon juice and mustard. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer the sauce without boiling, stirring occasionally, for 20 to 30 minutes until the sauce thickens — or longer if you want a thicker sauce. If the sauce thickens too much, add a tablespoon or two of the reserved cooking liquid. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add the pasta and cook for 9 to 10 minutes or until it reaches your desired softness. While the pasta is cooking, steam the asparagus until just tender, about 5 minutes or less depending on the thickness of the stalks. Drain the pasta and distribute between 4 pasta plates. Stir the parsley into the mushroom sauce and season with salt and plenty of fresh ground black pepper. Ladle the sauce between the plates and dress each serving with the cannellini beans and asparagus. Makes 4 servings