Italian asparagus and macaroni salad

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 250 g pasta (macaroni), short
• salt water
• 500 g asparagus, green
• 1 cup crème fraîche
• 4 tbsp water, warm
• 60 g pesto, green
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 4 tbsp Balsamic vinegar bianco
• 60 g olives, black, pitted
• ½ bunch basil
• 100 g pine nuts or sunflower seeds
• 20 g Parmesan cheese
• salt and pepper
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 250 g cherry tomatoes

Instructions

Working time approx. 1 hour; Cooking/baking time approx. 30 minutes; Total time approx. 1 hour 30 minutes

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Cook the pasta in salted water according to the package instructions and then rinse with cold water. Peel the asparagus only in the lower third and cut into pieces about 4 cm long. Whisk together the crème fraîche, water and pesto and season with 1 tablespoon of sugar, 2 tablespoons of vinegar, salt and pepper. Gradually stir in 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Toss the pasta with the dressing. Slice the olives into rings and the basil leaves into strips. Wash the tomatoes. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a pan and fry the asparagus on all sides for about 2 minutes. Then add the tomatoes, pine nuts and olives and fry for about 3 minutes. Deglaze the vegetables with the remaining sugar and vinegar and season with salt and pepper. Arrange the pasta on a large platter and arrange the asparagus and vegetable mixture on top. Use a vegetable peeler to shave off strips of Parmesan and sprinkle the salad with Parmesan and basil strips.