Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

Once boiling, add penne to pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, 9-11 minutes.

Reserve ½ cup pasta cooking water (1 cup for 4 servings), then drain.

Meanwhile, wash and dry produce.

Zest and quarter lemon. Trim and discard woody bottom ends from asparagus; cut stalks crosswise into 1-inch-long pieces. Dice tomato. Trim and thinly slice scallions, separating whites from greens.

Melt 1 TBSP plain butter in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add panko and almonds; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until golden brown, 3-4 minutes.

Turn off heat. Stir in a pinch of lemon zest and a pinch of chili flakes. Transfer to a small bowl.

Heat a drizzle of olive oil in same pan over medium-high heat. Add asparagus and cook, stirring often, until bright green and tender, 2-4 minutes.

Add tomato and cook, stirring, until slightly softened, 1-2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

While veggies cook, rinse shrimp* under cold water. Pat dry with paper towels; season with salt and pepper. Heat a drizzle of oil in a separate large pan over medium-high heat. Add shrimp; cook, stirring occasionally, until cooked through, 4-6 minutes.

Add drained penne, garlic herb butter, cream cheese, half the Parmesan (save the rest for serving), and ⅓ cup reserved pasta cooking water (½ cup for 4 servings) to pan with veggies; stir until thoroughly combined. Season with salt and pepper.

Add scallion whites, remaining lemon zest, 1 TBSP plain butter (2 TBSP for 4 servings), and as many remaining chili flakes as you like to pan with pasta. Cook, stirring, until everything is thoroughly coated in sauce, 1-2 minutes. TIP: If needed, stir in more reserved pasta cooking water a splash at a time.

Turn off heat; stir in a squeeze of lemon juice to taste. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

Stir in shrimp along with scallion whites.

Divide pasta between bowls. Sprinkle with panko mixture and remaining Parmesan. Add a drizzle of olive oil over bowls.

Garnish with scallion greens and serve with remaining lemon wedges on the side.