Pasta with asparagus

- pasta, asparagus and bacon - an idea for serving the asparagus - a detailed step-by-step description

Preparation time: 40 minutes Pasta cooking time: 8 minutes Number of servings: approximately 1200 g of dish Energy value 217 kcal Carbohydrates 22 g - Including sugars 2 g Protein 7 g Fat 11 g Diet: gluten-free, low-sugar.

250 g dry pasta - I used Pappardelle

1 bunch of green asparagus - 530 g

150 g of bacon - preferably raw smoked

5 tablespoons of 30% whipping cream

20 g parmesan cheese - or more

1 clove of garlic - 5 g

spices: 1/3 teaspoon each of salt and pepper and 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg

Pasta with asparagus

My glass holds 250 ml. Keep the heavy cream at room temperature. The listed amount of ingredients should yield about 1200 grams. This will make four generous servings.

The calories were calculated based on the ingredients I used. This is an approximate calorie count, as your ingredients may have a different calorie count than the ones I used. Before you start preparing this dish, I recommend reading the entire recipe first to prepare for the next steps.

Pasta with asparagus and bacon is a versatile yet seasonal recipe. You can serve it every day or for special occasions. It tastes delicious and looks very elegant and appetizing. I invite you to the kitchen now and wish you bon appetit .

Pasta with asparagus and bacon

Gently wash a bunch of young, thin asparagus under cold, running water (I used 530 grams of asparagus). Be careful with the tips, which are very delicate and may break. Hold the end of each asparagus spear and snap off the woody ends. You can do this with your hands – the asparagus will break on its own where the edible part begins. Prepare all the asparagus spears this way. Pat them dry on a paper towel and cut each spear into bite-sized pieces. Leave the tips intact. In the end, I was left with about 350 grams of chopped asparagus.

Finely chop 150 grams of raw, smoked, skinless bacon. If you have a piece of bacon, dice it finely. If you have sliced ​​bacon (like me), cut it into smaller pieces. Place the bacon in a dry pan and heat it over medium heat. Let the bacon fat slowly render. If the bacon is lean, you can also add up to two tablespoons of cooking oil.

After five minutes of sautéing/rendering the fat, add the chopped asparagus to the pan. Cook the asparagus and bacon together for about 15 minutes. Stir every few minutes to check the heat. If the asparagus and bacon brown too much or too quickly, reduce the heat.

While the bacon and asparagus are sautéing, cook the pasta. Pour water into a pot and bring to a boil. To cook 250 grams of pasta, you'll need 10 cups of water. Add salt only when it begins to boil. Add a level tablespoon of salt (not listed in the ingredients). Place the pasta in the pot and cook until al dente. I usually cook the pasta a minute or two longer than the manufacturer recommends on the package. The cooked pasta should be springy but soft. Note: drain less than half a cup of the pasta cooking water. You'll add it to the pan with the asparagus and bacon shortly. Transfer the cooked pasta to a colander and immediately return it to the pot. The pasta should be moist. My pasta weighed about 580 grams after cooking.

After 15 minutes of frying, add a peeled and pressed garlic clove to the pan. Add the spices: 1/3 teaspoon each of salt and pepper (black, white, or multi-colored), and 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg. Stir everything together. The asparagus should be soft, but still springy and crispy. Continue to cook over a slightly lower than medium heat (2-3 minutes).

Pour five tablespoons of the pasta water and the same amount of heavy cream into the pan. Immediately add about 20 grams of grated Parmesan cheese (Cheddar cheese can also be used). Stir slowly until the sauce becomes smooth and begins to simmer (on a low heat). Taste the dish and decide if you want to add more seasoning (the final taste depends largely on how salty the bacon was and how sharp the cheese was). If you think you don't have enough sauce, add more pasta water and more grated Parmesan cheese (you can also add a little clarified butter).

Transfer the entire contents of the pan to the pot with the cooked pasta. Gently toss everything together and serve immediately. I recommend garnishing the pasta with asparagus and bacon with additional parsley.

Enjoy your meal.