Ingredients

Method

• 400 g fresh asparagus, shaved and trimmed
• Olive oil
• 400 g zita or macaroni
• 250 G mascarpone
• 1 fat clove garlic, crushed
• Shreds of shaved smoked ham or chicken (about 100g)
• Shreds of Parmesan (about 80g
• Milled salt and black pepper

Method

Ingredients

Sear the asparagus in hot oil in a wide pan, until starting to catch and become tender. Meanwhile, cook the pasta in lots of boiling salted water.
Stir now and again to keep separate. Once just tender, drain the pasta, reserving the pasta water. In the same, still-warm pot whisk the mascarpone with garlic and seasoning. Mix with the drained pasta.
If necessary, loosen with a little of the reserved pasta water. Turn onto 4 large plates. Add shreds of ham or chicken and Parmesan. Spoon over the hot seared asparagus. Drizzle with olive oil.

TASTE’s take:
Use regular macaroni or zita, which are extra-long tubes. Either way, break into lengths about the size of the asparagus.