Asparagus, Lemon and Walnut Pasta
- 1 pound Asparagus
- 6 ounces, weight Whole Wheat Spaghetti Noodles
- 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 clove Garlic, Finely Chopped
- 13 cups Water
- 1 whole Lemon, Juice And Zest
- 1 pinch Salt
- 1 ounce, weight Walnuts, Chopped Plus A Few Whole Nuts To Garnish
- 1.
- Bring a pan of salted water to a boil.
- 2.
- While youre waiting for the water to heat up, prep the asparagus.
- Chop off and discard the tough ends (usually the bottom 2-3 inches of the stalk).
- Chop the remaining stalk into 1/2 inch pieces, leaving the tips whole.
- 3.
- By now you should be ready to add the pasta to the water.
- You are going to cook it according to package instructions so go ahead and set a timer.
- Once youve done this, heat the olive oil in a medium saute pan over medium heat.
- Then throw in the garlic, and swish it around for a minute or two with a wooden spoon.
- 4.
- Add the asparagus and the water, and leave it to simmer for 4-5 minutes.
- 5.
- Fish out the 1/2 inch pieces of asparagus (leave the tips in the pan) and pop them in your blender, along with the garlic water from the saute pan.
- Process until you have a smooth, creamy sauce.
- 6.
- Pour the sauce back into the saute pan with the asparagus tips.
- Keep it on a low heat.
- Add the lemon juice, zest and some salt to taste.
- I added about 1/2 teaspoon of salt but you may prefer more/less.
- 7.
- By now, your pasta should be done and ready to drain.
- Drain it, but dont worry about shaking off all the excess starchy water.
- A little actually helps here when you add the sauce.
- Leave the pasta in the pot.
- 8.
- Stir the asparagus sauce (and tips) into the pasta and toss well until its all coated.
- Serve between two plates and scatter the chopped walnuts over the top.
- Add a few whole walnuts to garnish.
- Recipe slightly adapted from Food52.com.
- I adapted it based on my experience making and tasting it.
noodles, olive oil, clove garlic, water, lemon, salt, weight walnuts
Taken from tastykitchen.com/recipes/main-courses/asparagus-lemon-and-walnut-pasta/ (may not work)