Venus pasta with asparagus and speck, a simple and tasty first course to make with the very first seasonal asparagus, the large and flavorful ones. In this recipe the extra touch comes from the chosen pasta type, namely Pasta Venere, but in reality you can make it with the shape and type you prefer. Making this recipe is very easy and, above all, it allows us to recover most of the asparagus stalk, in this case in a delicious little cream made using only the cooking water of the stalk itself. Below I leave you recipes to use asparagus, while at the end of the full description with all the photographic steps you will also find the answers to the most common questions.
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very inexpensive
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Cooking time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 4 servings
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Spring
Ingredients
- 11 oz pasta (Venere)
- 1.1 lb asparagus
- 3.5 oz speck (cut into strips)
- 1 tbsp coarse salt (for pasta cooking)
- 1 shallot
- 5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 4 tbsp cheese (grated)
- 1.5 cups water (hot)
Tools
- 1 Knife
- 1 Cutting board
- 1 Small saucepan
- 1 Pot
- 1 Pan
- 1 Colander
- 1 Kitchen towel
- 1 Ladle
- 1 Spoon
- 1 Food processor
Steps
To make Venus pasta with asparagus and speck, first clean the asparagus by removing the toughest part of the stalk and separating the tips from the stem parts you will use. Cut them into pieces about 1 1/8 in long.
Blanch them in lightly salted water for 10 minutes and drain, reserving three ladles of hot water (about 1 1/2 cups).
Meanwhile, chop the shallot into small pieces.
In a large pan, sauté the shallot in three tablespoons of oil. When it has lightly browned, add the blanched asparagus tips and cook for a couple of minutes, stirring, then add two ladles of hot water (about 1 cup). When most of that water has evaporated, add the speck and cook for two minutes over low heat.
In the food processor bowl put the boiled asparagus stalks, the remaining oil called for in the recipe and two tablespoons of grated cheese with the last ladle of hot water. Blend until you get a smooth little cream.
Drain the pasta and add it to the sauce with the speck and the asparagus tips. Add the little cream and mix with two tablespoons of grated cheese.
Serve the dish very hot. I do not recommend preparing it in advance; alternatively you can prepare only the sauce and then cook the pasta later. Store the sauce in the refrigerator in covered containers for up to 48 hours.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
Can I use gluten-free fusilli for this recipe?
Certainly, asparagus will pair well with any type of pasta.
What can I use instead of speck?
Cooked or raw ham cut into strips.
Is onion okay or do I have to use shallot?
Onion will work just fine as well.
