Pasta with Asparagus, Cannellini Beans, and Porcini Cream

Ingredients

• 1 pound asparagus trimmed cut into 1-inch lengths
• 15 ounces cannellini beans drained and rinsed (or great northern beans)
• 0.5 ounce the following: parmesan rind) dried
• 1 clove garlic 
• 2 teaspoons juice of lemon 
• 1 pinch nutmeg 
• 6 servings salt and pepper to taste
• 1 teaspoon cooking sherry 
• 0.5 cup silken tofu light firm (or silken)
• 0.5 cup soymilk plain
• 0.5 cup water boiling
• 12 ounces pasta gluten-free whole wheat (I used campagnelle but could use or spirals)

Equipment

• bowl
• sauce pan
• pot
• sieve

Directions

1. Pour the boiling water over the mushrooms and soak until they are completely rehydrated, about 20 minutes. Strain them through a fine sieve or a coffee filter, catching and reserving the liquid; rinse them if gritty and chop. Set aside. Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling water until al dente. When it’s done, drain it, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking water, and put pasta into a serving bowl. While the pasta’s cooking, blend the silken tofu, soymilk, and garlic until smooth.
2. Pour it into a saucepan, add a pinch of nutmeg and the reserved mushroom liquid and simmer for 5 minutes.
3. Add the lemon juice, sherry, reserved mushrooms, and the drained beans.
4. Add salt and pepper to taste. Simmer until beans are warm. And while that’s cooking, steam the asparagus until tender but crisp, about 5 minutes.
5. Add the asparagus to the cooked pasta and toss in the sauce. If it seems dry, add a little of the pasta cooking water.
6. Add more salt or pepper to taste and serve.