Steps

• Clean the asparagus. Once cleaned, cook the asparagus: tie them into a bundle with kitchen string and boil them in a tall, narrow pot (the asparagus pot). If you don’t have one, you can use a regular pot that is wide enough to hold them, and in this case, they do not need to be tied. Alternatively, you can simply cut them into pieces and sauté in a pan with a drizzle of oil. I usually steam them in the microwave, but you need to be careful with both the time and the thickness of the asparagus. For me, they cook in the appropriate container for 6/9 minutes at 900 w. Drain the asparagus, cut them into pieces, and season with salt, but be careful as speck is salty. In a small pan, without adding oil, let the speck cook until it becomes transparent. Cook the peas: in a saucepan, heat the oil and gently sauté the thinly sliced onion. Add the peas (shelled if you are using fresh ones) and let them flavor for a few minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the vegetable broth or hot water to cover them, season with salt, and let cook covered for ten/fifteen minutes. The cooking time will depend on the peas you use, whether fresh or frozen, large or small. If the broth dries up, add a little more to complete the cooking. Boil the pasta in plenty of salted water for the time indicated on the package. Drain the pasta and mix it with the béchamel, then add the speck, asparagus, peas, and grated Parmesan cheese. Mix well so the ingredients are combined, and then transfer the pasta to an ovenproof dish. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese and gratin in a preheated oven at 356°F (180°C) for twenty minutes or until a nice golden crust forms. Serve the pasta hot!