SERVES 4
PREPARATION 15 MINS
COOKING 10 MINS
400g (13oz) farfalle or penne
24 stems asparagus (halved lengthways if very thick)
2tbsp olive oil
200g (6½oz) peas, thawed if frozen
100ml (3¼fl oz) double cream
20 basil leaves, roughly chopped
2tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
Fresh Parmesan, grated, to serve
1. Put a large pan of salted water on to boil. Meanwhile, trim the asparagus, cutting off any woody ends and cut the stems into
10-12cm (4-5in) lengths.
2. Heat the oil in a large frying pan and add the asparagus. Cook, tossing, for about 2 minutes and then add the peas. Cook, stirring over a medium heat, until the vegetables have softened and are bright green. Keep the mixture warm over a gentle heat.
3. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente. A few minutes before the pasta is ready, add the cream and a squeeze of lemon juice to the vegetables, raise the heat and bring to the boil. Boil until reduced and the cream coats the vegetables. Season to taste.
4. Drain the pasta and return to the pan. Pour the vegetables and sauce over the pasta and stir in the herbs and lemon zest. Serve immediately with Parmesan.
TIP
For a quicker version of this dish, leave out the asparagus and use frozen peas, increasing the amount to 300g (10oz).