Instructions: Shell the fava beans (see tip).

Place the ricotta in a heavy-bottomed serving dish. Add the garlic.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil; add the salt and the papparlelle.

Cook until just about al dente, about 8 minutes, and add the asparagus. Mix a ladleful of the boiling cooking water (about 1/2 cup) with the ricotta and garlic in the serving dish so that the ricotta takes on a creamy consistency. When the pasta is cooked through but still firm to the bite

(after the asparagus has cooked a couple of minutes with it), add the fava beans to the boiling water, stir together and drain.

Toss immediately with the ricotta and garlic, parsley, and Parmesan. Grind in some pepper and serve at once.

fat.

ADVANCE PREPARAT1ON: The fava beans can be prepared a day ahead of time.

The asparagus can be prepared several hours ahead.

TIP! To shell fava beans, remove them from the furry pods and place in a bowl. Pour on boiling water, let sit for 30 seconds, drain, and rinse with cold water. The beans will now pop easily out of their shells. Young favas are extremely small, so you might wonder if its worth the bother for the small volume you get. But when you taste these sweet morsels, I think youll agree that it is. -MRS

Notes: Pappardella a la brousse et aux asperges et feves. This simple springtime pasta is dressed up with low-fat ricotta, made creamy simply by mixing the ricotta with a ladleful of cooking water from the pasta.

Pappardelle is a good choice of noodle because the ridges catch the ricotta.

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