The whole wheat pasta with wild asparagus is a tasty, easy, and quick seasonal first course even with just a few wild asparagus at hand.
Wild asparagus is a delicacy, and there’s nothing better than a freshly picked bunch.
To minimize waste, we will use both the tips and the stalks:
with the tips, we will prepare a flavorful sauce, white or just slightly colored;
with the stalks, we will flavor the water for cooking the pasta.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 2 People
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- 5.6 oz whole wheat spaghetti
- 1 bunch wild asparagus
- 2 g garlic, oil, and chili pepper seasoning
- 0.42 cup water (or more)
- 1 vegetable bouillon cube (homemade)
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 pinch mixed peppercorns (with grinder)
- 2 tbsps tomato sauce (homemade)
- 1 drizzle extra virgin olive oil (raw)
Suggested Tools
- 1 Colander
- 1 Knife
- 1 Cutting Board
- 1 Pan with preferably glass lid
Preparation
Clean the wild asparagus:
• wash the asparagus under running water and let them drain in a colander;
• separate the tips up to the most tender part of the stem and cut them into pieces;
• retrieve the stalk buds discarding the thorns if there are any;
• remove the terminal part of the stalks that is cut and damaged.stalks
With the terminal part of the stalks, we will flavor the pasta cooking water.
In a pan, heat the seasoning for garlic, oil, and chili pepper pasta.
Add the tips and any buds of asparagus, 0.42 cups of water or more as needed to cover the bottom of the pan and a vegetable bouillon cube.
Add a pinch of salt and grind some pepper.
Stir and let it stew with a lid, preferably glass, over low heat for about 5 minutes until the water has evaporated and the sauce has thickened.You can leave it white or add a couple of tablespoons of tomato sauce.
In a pot, bring salted water to a boil along with the asparagus stalks and remove them before adding the pasta.
Cook the pasta, rinse it under running water, and drain it.
Meanwhile, heat the sauce.Pour the pasta into the pan with the sauce and mix.
With the heat off, drizzle with a little olive oil and mix.Plate.
Grind a bit more pepper.Your whole wheat pasta with wild asparagus is ready.
Enjoy your meal!
Variations
If you don’t have wild asparagus or can’t find them, you can use frozen asparagus tips.
FAQ
When can you pick wild asparagus?
Wild asparagus is available from March to June.
In the south, they can often be found as early as December-January.
At the beginning of the season, they are more tender.Where can wild asparagus be found?
They grow spontaneously in uncultivated areas and along roadsides.
They are mainly found in central, southern, and island areas.What is the difference between wild and cultivated asparagus?
Wild asparagus or field asparagus are thinner and have a more intense flavor and aroma compared to cultivated asparagus.
Can I use frozen asparagus?
You can use frozen asparagus instead of fresh ones.
They are already cleaned and cut.
Follow the instructions on the package.
