Spaghetti with Asparagus, Artichokes, and Smoked Mozzarella

Having good ingredients makes a quick dinner better and easier. While I was driving home from work James started the water boiling. All I had to do was sauté the asparagus in olive oil with chopped pancetta and garlic, add in some roasted artichokes, chili flakes, and a squeeze of lemon juice and wait for the pasta to cook. I drained the pasta and added the sauté mix along with a good sized handful of parmesan cheese, a knob of butter, and about 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water. I stirred until the parmesan and the water (along with salt and pepper) made a creamy sauce, tossed in some cubes of smoked mozzarella and called James to the table.

Maybe it's cooking, maybe it's combining, but for us it's a late dinner in a hurry on work night Monday.