4tablespoonsbutter, cut into pieces (see note about browning the butter)
⅓cupfreshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Snap the tough lower ends off the asparagus and discard them. Cut the asparagus spears into 1-inch pieces. Place the asparagus on a large, rimmed baking sheet and toss with the olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast until tender, about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.
While the asparagus roasts, add the vinegar to a small saucepan. Simmer over medium heat until the vinegar is reduced to about 3 tablespoons, about 5-10 minutes.
Stir in the brown sugar, pepper and salt. Remove from the heat.
Cook the penne in a large pot of lightly salted boiling water until al dente (or desired tenderness), according to package directions. Drain the pasta and return to the pot.
Add the butter and toss with the pasta until the butter is melted and the pasta is evenly coated.
Add the vinegar reduction. Toss to combine well. Add the asparagus and Parmesan; toss. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper, if needed.
Serve immediately with extra Parmesan cheese, for serving, if desired.
Notes
Asparagus: if asparagus isn't in season (or you don't like it), try broccoli or even cauliflower cut into bite-size pieces, and roast it per the recipe. Browned Butter: if you want to take this to a whole new level, brown the butter (quick and easy tutorial here) before adding it to the pasta.