Spring is finally here and asparagus season has officially started. This quick pasta dish is perfect to celebrate this amazing season and I am a big fan of the crunchy topping that gives the pasta a special twist.
Preparation Time: 10 mins
Cooking Time: 20 mins
Total Time: 30 mins
Servings: 4 people
Ingredients
3 spring onions
2 garlic clove
500 g green asparagus
200 g frozen peas
200 g light cream or soy cream
200 g cream cheese with herbs or vegan alternative
2 lemons (zest + juice)
500 g pasta (e.g. spaghetti or linguine)
salt
pepper
Topping:
2 tbsp olive oil
4 spring onions
50 g pistachios
100 g ciabatta bread
salt
Method
For the crunchy topping, finely chop the ciabatta bread and the spring onions, and roughly chop the pistachios. Heat the olive oil in a pan, and fry the ciabatta crumbles and spring onions for about 6 minutes until golden brown. Add the pistachios and fry for another 2-3 minutes. Season with salt and set aside.
Finely chop the spring onion and garlic for the pasta sauce.
Roughly peel the lowest third of the asparagus, and cut the asparagus into 3 pieces. Cook the asparagus pieces (except from the pieces with tips) in boiling water for 5 minutes and add the tips during the final minute. Save for later.
Boil the pasta in salted water according to packaging instructions. (Feel free to use whole meal pasta for that extra fibre)
Heat some vegetable oil in a pan and fry the spring onion, garlic and lemon zest for 2-3 minutes. Add about 60 ml (ca. 4 tbsp) of pasta water. Reduce the heat. Stir in the (soy) cream, cream cheese, aspargus pieces and peas. Season to perfection with salt, pepper and lemon juice. Add the cooked pasta.
Enjoy!