Last week I saw the first Ontario asparaus at my local market and it made me so very happy. Asparagus is one of the first vegetables of the season, bursting with colour, nutrients, and flavour, it’s a great a addition to any meals. From soups, to side dishes, you can quickly and easily cook asparagus - all you have to do is drizzile a little bit of oil, sprinkle salt and pepper, and place it in the oven for 20 minutes.
This pasta recipe is a quick and easy way to enjoy asparagus, all you need is galic, cheese, and pasta! Stay tuned next week for a recipe for asparagus soup.
Check out a local farmers’ market this weekend to find ingredients, and cook up this delicious recipe at home.
Asparagus Pasta
Makes 3 lunch sized portions, takes about 45 minutes
1 bunch Ontario asparagus
5 tablespoons of olive oil
4 medium Ontario garlic cloves
salt and pepper
½ cup of grated parmesan cheese
spaghetti
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Celsius. Cover a tray with aluminum foil, making sure the aluminum foil covers the sides of the tray (to ensure the olive oil does not escape). Wash the asparagus, and arrange it in a single layer on a baking tray. Add three tablespoons of olive oil to the asparagus, making sure that all of the asparagus is coated in oil. Sprinkle salt and pepper on top of the asparagus and place the tray in the oven for roughly 20 minutes. Depending on the thickness of the asparagus the time it takes to cook changes. The best way to tell when the asparagus is cooked is by looking at the tips of the asparagus; they should be slightly caramelized or golden in colour.
Bring a pot filled with water, one teaspoon of salt, garlic cloves, and two tablespoons of olive oil to a boil. Once the water has come to a boil, place the spaghetti in the water and turn the heat down to medium. Cover the pot with a lid. Once the spaghetti has been cooked to your liking, drain the pasta and fish the garlic out of the water. Using a fork, mash the garlic in a bowl. Add the parmesan and the olive oil that the asparagus has been cooking in and mix.
Once the asparagus is roasted, cut the asparagus into three pieces. Mix the pasta with the asparagus, and the garlic cheese mixture. Grate a bit more of parmesan on top of each plate, and sprinkle with pepper for serving.
Looking for local Ontario asparagus? Find it here.
