Penne all'asparagi

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 1 bunch of white asparagus
• 400g penne
• 25 g butter
• 1 tbsp, heaped cornstarch
• 1 pinch of salt
• 2 tsp sugar
• 1 pinch(s) of pepper
• 200 g cooked ham

Instructions

Working time approx. 25 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 35 minutes; Total time approx. 1 hour

Asparagus pasta

Wash and peel the asparagus, and cut the stalks into approximately 1 cm slices. Leave the tips longer and set aside. Boil the peel and the cut, lower, woody parts in approximately 1-1.5 liters of water, 2 teaspoons of sugar, and a pinch of salt for 15 minutes. Remove all cooked parts from the water and cook the remaining asparagus in it for about 12 minutes until al dente. Transfer about half of the asparagus water to a new pot for cooking pasta. Add the pasta and salt to the water and cover, cooking until “al dente.” Make sure to turn the pasta frequently in the pot to ensure it cooks evenly. If there isn’t enough water, add a little at a time. The goal is for the pasta to absorb all of the cooking water so that the delicious asparagus flavor is fully absorbed into the pasta. Dissolve the starch in cold water, add it to the asparagus in the pot, and cook until creamy, stirring with the butter and a pinch of pepper. If desired, you can also add a little sour cream or cream. Divide the pasta among plates and top with the ham, then divide the sauce and pasta. 435 kcal per serving. Tip: If you want to make the pasta vegan, I recommend adding 2-3 drops of natural smoke flavoring to the asparagus sauce.