Goat Cheese Asperagus Pasta

This is one of our all-time favorite backpacking meals. It’s flavorful, warm, hearty, and amazingly quick to throw together. I won’t lie, it’s on the heavy side with the fresh asparagus, but we frequently opt to carry the extra ounces for this one. After a long hike there’s something special about a little fresh food. *Especially* if paired with some red wine. This recipe makes enough for 2, although it scales reasonably well if your pot is big enough.

Ingredients

2 oz goat cheese (or 3 x .6oz packs from TJ’s)

2 tbsp lemon pepper

2 tbsp olive oil

8 oz dry pasta

1 lb fresh asparagus

1 fresh lemon (optional)

Cooking Supplies

1 medium pot

1 spork/fork per person

Stove to boil water

     At Home

Package oil in a leak-proof container. This is harder than it sounds.

Put a couple tablespoons of lemon pepper into a small baggie or backpacking spice container.

Put the pasta and asparagus into SEPARATE baggies*

* I have had the asparagus turn on me ONE time. Unfortunately, it was in the same zip lock as the pasta. The whole bag smelled rancid, and we had to survive on hiking snacks. Typically, it will last 4 days in the backcountry, but YMMV so package separate!

At Camp

Fill pot with water and bring to a boil. Add pasta.

While the pasta cooks, chop the asparagus into 1 inch pieces and discard the wooly end.

Add asparagus to pasta for the last 3 minutes of cooking.

Drain most of the pasta water (far away from camp!) but leave ¾ cups water in the pot with the pasta. 

Add olive oil, goat cheese, and lemon pepper, mixing thoroughly with the pasta water until the goat cheese is liquid and pourable. Continue to mix into the pasta until it is coated.

Serve and Enjoy!