Spring pasta delight: The art of mastering asparagus dishes
This is one of my favourite spring dishes. It is quick to prepare, includes asparagus, and is both light and satisfying. There are many advantages to it. Asparagus is available throughout May and pairs particularly well with this dish.
Do Italian pasta dishes make you think of heavier options, like spaghetti bolognese or carbonara? Pasta with asparagus offers a completely different experience. It is light, delicate, and seasonal, as our time to enjoy asparagus is limited. For this dish, it is crucial that the asparagus is cooked al dente; otherwise, the dish loses its essence.
How to cook asparagus?
Cooking asparagus is not difficult. You just need to follow the cooking time, adjusted for their thickness. This ensures they retain their crunch and flavour, which is essential for the success of the dish. It's best to cook them in a tall pot, where the tips can stick out above the water's surface. However, any other pot will do as long as you keep an eye on the process. Adding salt and sugar to the water accentuates the natural flavour of the asparagus. How long should you cook asparagus? For the green variety I use in pasta, it takes only 3–5 minutes, depending on their thickness.
You can enhance the flavour
The sauce for asparagus pasta is made with olive oil, one of the healthiest fats. Asparagus itself has numerous nutritional benefits. It is low in calories and rich in vitamins such as E and C, which support the health of the skin, hair, and nails. Asparagus also contains valuable folic acid. The season is short, so don’t delay in making this pasta. Penne is the best type of pasta for this dish. If you’re missing a meaty element, you can serve it with finely chopped, raw bacon. Just chop it finely and fry it. Even with this addition, the whole dish can be ready in 15 minutes.
Quick asparagus pasta
Ingredients:
- a bunch of asparagus,
- 200 grams of penne pasta,
- 2 cloves of garlic,
- 4 tablespoons of olive oil,
- 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and a pinch of grated zest,
- grated Parmesan or Grana Padano for serving,
- 150 grams of raw smoked bacon (optional).
Preparation:
- Wash the asparagus and break off the tough ends. Cut into pieces about 2.5 cm long, keeping the tips whole.
- Place the pasta in boiling water and cook al dente according to the package instructions.
- 3 minutes before the end of the pasta cooking time, add the asparagus to the pot and cook together until finished.
- In a large pan, gently sauté finely grated or crushed garlic in 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Stir in the lemon juice and cook briefly.
- Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil, lemon zest, and the cooked, drained pasta with asparagus, along with a bit of the cooking water.
- Finely chop and fry the bacon in a hot pan.
- Combine everything, and season with salt and pepper. Serve with grated cheese and bacon.
