Light asparagus and ricotta pasta sauce
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Asparagus and ricotta pasta sauce
Asparagus season is short, so we eat it in as many ways as we can before the long wait for the next harvest. This sauce could be made with cream, but good fresh ricotta keeps it lighter and lets the asparagus shine.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Gluten-Free, Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 2 bunches of asparagus
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled but left whole
- 250 ml (1 cup) vegetable stock
- 120 g (4 oz) good fresh ricotta
- Olive oil, plus extra virgin olive oil to finish
- Salt and pepper
- Pasta, to serve
Instructions
- Snap off the woody ends of the asparagus where they naturally break (try one, then cut the rest at the same point) and discard them.
- Peel or wash the next 5 cm (2 in) of each stalk well. Cut off the tips (about 3 cm / 1¼ in) and set them aside.
- Slice the stalks into thin rounds and add them to a pan of hot olive oil.
- Cook over low to medium heat until they have softened quite a lot, 2–3 minutes.
- Add the garlic, salt and pepper and cook for another minute over low heat, stirring so nothing burns.
- Add the stock and let it reduce for about 3 minutes.
- Add the tips and cook for a minute or two, until just tender but still with some bite (large tips may need 2–3 minutes). Mash the garlic back into the sauce with a garlic press, or discard it.
- Toss with the cooked pasta, the ricotta, black pepper and a good swirl of extra virgin olive oil.
We’ve made this a couple of times since coming back from Italy. Very quick and simple recipe, delicious every time.