Italian asparagus salad

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 1 ½ kg asparagus, white
• Salt
• some sugar
• 600 g tomatoes
• ½ bunch basil
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 8 tbsp olive oil
• Salt
• pepper
• 4 tbsp pine nuts
• 1 bunch arugula
• 100 g Parma ham
• 60 g Pecorino or Parmesan

Instructions

Working time approx. 40 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 10 minutes; Total time approx. 50 minutes

With Parma ham, rocket and pine nuts

Peel the asparagus and cut into 4-5 cm long pieces. Cook in salted water with a little sugar. Drain. Wash and finely dice the tomatoes. Mix half of them with chopped basil, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper, and puree. Add the remaining tomatoes and season to taste. Roast the pine nuts in a dry pan until golden brown. Trim and chop the coarse stalks from the arugula. Cut the Parma ham into wide strips. Arrange the asparagus, arugula, and tomato vinaigrette on plates. Thinly shave pecorino over the top and sprinkle with pine nuts. Arrange the ham around the asparagus and serve.