Peas and Pasta Salad

I made this dish with the Neely's Roasted Asparagus Pasta Salad in mind. However, my refrigerator is seriously lacking the ingredients it requires.  I tried to improvise with a half tablespoon onion powder instead of the shallot, 1 tablespoon garlic powder instead of the garlic, and parsley flakes for the chives.  I even substituted peas for the asparagus and Parmesan for the goat cheese.  In the end, the dressing was overpowering, and i actually rinsed the dressed pasta under cold water for a couple seconds.  The end result was actually pretty good, but it was missing that punch that I'm sure the original recipe has.  Hopefully, I can overcome the lazy and cheap aspects of my personality to test the original recipe one day. 

Neely's Roasted Asparagus Pasta Salad
(original recipe serves 6 to 8)

Ingredients

• 1 pound pasta
• 1 pound asparagus, ends trimmed
• 4 tablespoons EVOO, and extra for drizzling
• salt and pepper
• 1 shallot, finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• Zest and juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh chives
• 1 (4 oz.) container crumbled goat cheese

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
2. Add pasta to a large pot of boiling salted water and cook until al dente. Drain in a colander and let cool.
3. Meanwhile, slice asparagus on the bias into 1/2-inch pieces. Place the asparagus on a sheet tray and drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Place in oven and roast for 10 minutes, until slightly tender. Remove and let cool.
4. In a small bowl, combine shallot, garlic, mustard, lemon zest, lemon juice, and red pepper flakes. Whisk in olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Add chives. Add pasta and roasted asparagus to a large bowl. Drizzle with dressing and toss. Add the crumbled goat cheese, toss and serve.