Fusilli with Asparagus Pesto

Fusilli with asparagus pesto is a light and tasty spring first course. Here is the recipe for making asparagus pesto and how to pair it with fusilli.

Ingredients

• 320 g of fusilli
• 500 g of asparagus
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 30 g of pine nuts
• 40 g of grated Parmesan cheese
• 40 g of grated Pecorino cheese
• 10-12 basil leaves
• Extra virgin olive oil (to taste)
• Salt (to taste)
• Pepper (to taste)

Preparation

1. First, clean the asparagus by removing the toughest part of the stem. Wash them and cook them in salted boiling water for about 10-15 minutes, or until they are tender but still crunchy.
2. In the meantime, toast the pine nuts in a pan for a few minutes until they become golden. Be careful not to burn them.
3. Once the asparagus is cooked, set aside the tips for the final decoration of the dish.
4. Put the asparagus stems in a food processor along with the toasted pine nuts, basil leaves, garlic (the amount depends on your preference for garlic flavor), Parmesan, pecorino, salt, and pepper as needed.
5. Blend everything, adding extra virgin olive oil in a steady stream until you get a smooth cream of the consistency you prefer. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.
6. Cook the fusilli in plenty of salted water following the instructions on the package to achieve al dente pasta.
7. Drain the fusilli and dress them with the asparagus pesto, adding a little cooking water to make the sauce creamier.
8. Plate and garnish each serving with the asparagus tips you had set aside.

For an even more Italian note, you might add a touch of grated lemon or some almond flakes for crunchiness.

Curiosity

Asparagus pesto is a spring variation of the more famous Genoese pesto. The use of asparagus, typical of the season, gives the dish a delicate flavor and a nice pop of color. In Italy, it is common to experiment with different types of pesto, using fresh seasonal ingredients.