Make the most of fresh British produce with this creamy asparagus pasta. Fresh and tasty, this dish has a moreish cheesy sauce and topped with British asparagus.
Ready in less than 30 minutes, this asparagus pasta is perfect for enjoying al fresco as a mid-week meal.
Tip: For some extra flavour, add some fried pancetta on top!

Ready in: Under 30 minutes

Serves: 2

Ingredients

250g tagliatelle (or any pasta of your choice)
250g asparagus
1 tbsp salted butter
120g crème fraiche or cream cheese
1 lemon (you need the zest of 1 lemon plus 2 tsp juice)
3-4 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
Black pepper

Method

1. Firstly, prepare the asparagus. Wash the spears and trim the woody ends before cutting off the tips. Set the tips to one side and use a vegetable peeler to remove the skin from the lower halves. Chop the peeled asparagus pieces into thick slices.

2. Next, cook the pasta according to the package instructions.

3. While the pasta is cooking, melt the butter over medium heat and saute the asparagus slices and tips for around 5 minutes. Add a sprinkle of lemon zest and stir.

4. Once cooked, drain the pasta, reserving some of the cooking water for later.

5. Tip the crème fraiche, most of the lemon zest and black pepper into the empty pasta pot. Place back on the heat and stir until the crème fraiche melts.

6. Carefully add in some of the reserved pasta water, 1 tablespoon at a time so not to split the sauce. Keep stirring and adding a little water until the sauce has thickened. Add the grated parmesan and stir through.

7. Pour the lemon juice over the asparagus in the pan and stir then remove the tips. Add the drained pasta to the asparagus pan along with the sauce. Stir well until combined.

8. Split the creamy asparagus pasta between two bowls and top with the asparagus tips, remaining lemon zest and a sprinkle of black pepper.

 

Make this recipe using our ingredient of the week: Asparagus. 

Asparagus is in the peak of its season during the spring months, with the majority being local or homegrown. This versatile vegetable is best served simply and can be cooked in a variety of ways – roasted, boiled, steamed or even grilled on the BBQ! Pick up a bundle of British asparagus from our Greengrocers.