Asparagus pasta with walnuts recipe from Marche, Central Italy

Method6 steps · about 40 min

1. 1

   Step 1: Wash the asparagus and snap off the woody ends. Cut the tips from the tender stalks. Bring a pan of salted water to a boil, parboil the tips for 1 minute and lift them out. Parboil the stalks in the same water for 3–4 minutes, then lift them out, keeping the water for the pasta. Cut the cooked asparagus into small pieces.

   Uses 500 g fresh asparagus, trimmed; all spears and stalks · Unmeasured salt for parboiling asparagus · Unmeasured blanching water, retained for pasta

2. 2

   Step 2: Crush or chop the shelled walnuts (60 g) into small pieces. Peel and crush the garlic cloves (1–2 cloves). Wash and chop the parsley.

   Uses 60 g shelled walnuts, chopped or crushed · 1–2 cloves, peeled and crushed · One handful parsley, washed and chopped; literal unmeasured volume

3. 3

   Step 3: Heat the butter (30 g) in a pan with 2 tablespoons of oil and brown the garlic cloves. Add a little chopped parsley. After a couple of minutes, add the asparagus (tips and stalks) and fry them on a low heat for another 5 minutes.

   Uses 30 g butter for pan · 2 tbsp olive oil · Prepared crushed garlic from step 2 · A little of the prepared parsley; amount for this use is not stated · Parboiled asparagus tips and stalks, cut into small pieces

4. 4

   Step 4: Add the chopped walnuts to the pan, remove the garlic, season with salt and a pinch of freshly ground black pepper. Then sauté over a low heat for the last 2 minutes. You can use a fork to crush the asparagus stems slightly to make the sauce a little creamy.

   Uses Prepared chopped walnuts, 60 g supply · Cooked asparagus from step 3 · Garlic cloves are removed from pan now · Salt for seasoning to taste · Pinch freshly ground black pepper

5. 5

   Step 5: Bring the retained asparagus water back to a boil, adjusting its salt only if needed. Cook the 320 g spaghetti al dente according to its package, reserve a little of the cooking water and drain. Toss the cooked spaghetti with the prepared asparagus-walnut sauce and a little reserved cooking water. Add 2 heaped tablespoons grated cheese from the 50 g supply and mix over low heat until creamy.

   Cook spaghetti · 10 minUses 320 g spaghetti · Same water used to blanch asparagus, brought back to boil for pasta · Unmeasured salt added to pasta water · Prepared asparagus, walnuts and seasoning · 2 heaped tablespoons grated cheese, measured by volume from the 50 g supply

6. 6

   Step 6: Serve immediately, garnishing with the remaining chopped parsley and any remaining grated cheese from the 50 g supply, if desired.

   Uses Finished pasta mixed with sauce and 2 heaped tbsp cheese · Remaining chopped parsley for garnish; actual share unspecified · Additional grated cheese if required; amount not stated