- 1 stick butter
- 1 pound fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 12 ounces wide egg noodles
- 3 cups whole milk
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3 cups shredded Italian cheese blend, divided
- 3/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese, divided
- 4 ounces cooked ham, diced (optional)
- 2/3 cup Italian-seasoned bread crumbs
- 1/4 cup butter, melted
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Butter a 9×13-inch baking dish with 1 teaspoon butter.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil; cook asparagus until tender yet firm to the bite, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove asparagus from the pot, reserving the water.
- Cook noodles in the reserved water from asparagus until tender yet firm to the bite, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain.
- Whisk milk, egg, flour, and pepper together in a bowl; stir in 2 cups Italian cheese blend and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, ham, and asparagus. Add noodles and toss to coat; transfer to the prepared baking dish.
- Mix bread crumbs and melted butter together in a bowl; add remaining Italian cheese blend and Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle bread crumb mixture over noodle mixture.
- Bake in the preheated oven until bubbling and top is lightly browned, 35 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.