Creamy Asparagus Mustard Sauce for Pasta

This recipe is a riff off an Eating Well recipe. I didn't want red sauce, R wanted cream sauce, we had asparagus and pancetta that needed to be cooked. The end result was delicious, easy and extremely satisfying but not crazy-creamy. Definitely worth making again

1 t EVOO

1/4 cup pancetta, fine dice

1 lg shallot, halved and thinly sliced

1 stalk green garlic, white part only, halved and thinly sliced

1/4 cup white wine

4 t mustard

4 t flour

1/2 t kosher salt

1/2 t freshly round pepper

3/4 cup each half/half and 1% milk

zest of one half lemon

1 bunch asparagus, thicker stalks

1/4 cup grated parmesan

8 oz. whole wheat fusilli or spaghetti

Bring a large pot of water to boil. Heat the oil in a medium pan over medium heat, add the pancetta and brown slowly. Drain all but 2 t fat and add shallots. Saute till softened, add green garlic and saute briefly. Add white wine, turn up heat and reduce by 2/3.

Meanwhile, snap the bottoms from the asparagus stalks, trim "points" from sides and slice 1/4" thick on a sharp diagonal. Reserve tips.

Cook pasta per the package directions. Add asparagus tips in the last 90 seconds of cooking, then add the asparagus in the lass minute. Drain.

Whisk together mustard, flour, pepper and salt. Add milk and half/half slowly, whisking to combine. Add to pancetta mixture, heat to a simmer and stir, 1-2 minutes till the sauce thickens. Stir in the lemon zest and parmesan, combine with the pasta and asparagus and serve.