An elegant taste of spring: Making pasta with asparagus at home

I admit that green asparagus is one of my favourite spring vegetables. I can eat it from morning to evening. This year, I've prepared it in countless ways. When my son invited me to an Italian restaurant for a birthday dinner, I naturally ordered pasta with asparagus. I decided to recreate that recipe.

Many Italian restaurants are famous for their homemade pasta. We're used to making pizza from scratch, but fresh pasta is still new. That's why Italian chefs trained many chefs. Some restaurants serve classics and seasonal dishes, like pasta with asparagus.

Have you ever tried to recreate dishes eaten in a restaurant? My friend is a master at this, and I'm slowly following in her footsteps. Of course, you can always ask the server, but don't expect them to reveal the chef's secrets. It's better to rely on your sense of taste. I wouldn't dare to recreate the pasta itself because it's too challenging, but you can easily buy good, ready-made Italian pasta. The best will be short types like penne. As for the sauce with asparagus, I'll suggest how to make it so the result is similar to the restaurant's.

If Italian pasta dishes make you think of heavy ones, like spaghetti Bolognese or carbonara, you need a total change of direction. Pasta with asparagus is a very light dish with a refreshing citrus touch. The sauce will include lemon zest and juice. It's also essential that the asparagus is cooked al dente; otherwise, the dish completely loses its character. And it takes just 10 minutes to prepare. That's precisely the charm of Italian cuisine: quick, simple, and very tasty!

Ingredients:

          
• a bunch of asparagus,
• 170 grams (6 oz) of penne pasta,
• 2 garlic cloves,
• 4 tablespoons of olive oil,
• 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and a pinch of zest,
• grated Parmesan or Grana Padano for serving.

Preparation:

1. Wash the asparagus and break off the tough ends. Cut the prepared asparagus crosswise into pieces about 2 centimetres (1 inch) long. Keep the tips whole.
2. Place the pasta in boiling water and cook al dente per the instructions.
3. Add the asparagus to the pot three minutes before the pasta is done, and cook together until finished.
4. In a large skillet with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, gently sauté finely grated or pressed garlic. Add lemon juice and cook for a moment.
5. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil, lemon zest, the cooked, drained pasta with asparagus, and a bit of the cooking water.
6. Mix everything and season with salt and pepper. Serve with grated cheese.