Pasta with Cream and Asparagus

Pasta with cream and asparagus is a creamy and flavorful dish that combines the sweetness of asparagus with the richness of cream. Here’s how to prepare it:

Ingredients

• 350 grams of pasta (penne or spaghetti are fine)
• 300 grams of asparagus
• 200 ml of cooking cream
• 2 cloves of garlic
• Salt
• Black pepper
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Preparation

1. Clean the asparagus by removing the harder end of the stem and cut the stems into pieces of a few centimeters, keeping the tips whole.
2. Boil a pot of water for the pasta and salt it once it reaches a boil.
3. In a large pan, heat a drizzle of oil with the peeled garlic cloves and brown them on low heat.
4. Add the chopped asparagus to the pan and let them cook for about 10-15 minutes, until they become tender (add a little pasta cooking water if necessary).
5. Remove the garlic from the pan and pour in the cream, allowing it to warm up. Adjust with salt and pepper.
6. In the meantime, cook the pasta in the pot of boiling water following the timings indicated on the package to have it al dente.
7. Drain the pasta and transfer it to the pan with the asparagus and cream.
8. Gently stir on low heat to blend the ingredients well.
9. Serve the pasta hot, with a sprinkle of grated Parmesan on top if you want an extra touch of flavor.

Variants and tips: Try adding cooked ham or smoked salmon for an additional flavor touch. Moreover, if you prefer a lighter dish, you could substitute the cream with diluted ricotta or a simple dressing based on oil and herbs.