Orecchiette pasta with asparagus sauce

When spring is in full swing there is nothing better than to go to the fruit and veg shop to stock up on some seasonal vegetables. Among the best of these is undoubtedly asparagus, sweet and tender as can be. Today we suggest a pasta dish based on asparagus, avoiding the use of cream or butter but opting instead for lots of flavour and delicacy. It goes without saying then that this recipe is suitable for vegetarians, but also for those who don’t want to give up on their light diet.

Clean the asparagus by removing the hard part of the stem, place in a steamer and cook for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, sauté the finely chopped shallot in some extra virgin olive oil. When the asparagus is ready, cut it into small pieces leaving the tips to one side. Add the remaining pieces of asparagus to the frying pan and sauté briefly. Pour the white wine into the pan and reduce. Season with salt and take off the heat. Mix the two grated cheeses together in a bowl. Bring the water to a boil and cook the orecchiette. Add a ladle of water from the pasta to the cheese and mix well so as to create a creamy sauce. Drain the orecchiette and toss in the pan with the asparagus, then transfer both to the bowl with the creamy cheese sauce and mix well. Garnish with the asparagus tips and serve.