Spaghetti with fried asparagus and basil

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 1 ½ kg asparagus (asparagus tips)
• 400 g cocktail tomatoes
• 50 g pine nuts
• 150 g Parmesan cheese, in one piece
• 1 bunch of basil
• 6 tbsp olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 tsp raw cane sugar
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• Salt
• black pepper
• 500g spaghetti
• 1 pinch of nutmeg

Instructions

Working time approx. 15 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 25 minutes; Total time approx. 40 minutes

Mediterranean, vegetarian

Wash the asparagus tips, trim the ends, and halve if desired. Wash and halve the tomatoes. Roast the pine nuts in a pan without fat until they are pleasantly fragrant and set aside. Finely grate the Parmesan cheese. Rinse the basil with cold water, shake dry, pick off the leaves, and cut into 3-4 mm wide strips. Heat olive oil in a large pan and sauté the asparagus and tomatoes for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, peel and press the garlic, and mix with the sugar, lemon juice, and 6 tablespoons of hot water. About 5 minutes before the end of the cooking time, stir the garlic liquid into the pan with the asparagus. Season with salt and pepper. Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti in a large pot of boiling salted water according to the package instructions until al dente, drain, reserving the cooking water. Return the spaghetti to the pot or a large bowl and toss with the fried asparagus, tomatoes, and cheese. Stir in the cooking water in portions until a creamy consistency is achieved. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Serve sprinkled with basil and pine nuts. Serve with white wine.