Asparagus spring pasta

KITCHEN TIP: To keep asparagus as fresh as possible, pop the bundles, tip upwards, into a pint glass with a few inches of water at the bottom and store in the fridge.

VServes: 4

INGREDIENTS

400g British asparagus 170g frozen peas

350g pappardelle pasta Two knobs of butter 1tbsp olive oil

Four shallots, finely chopped (if unavailable, use a medium onion or spring onions) Two garlic cloves, crushed 200ml crème fraiche (alternatively, sour cream) Handful of chopped mint Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Parmesan, grated (or any hard grating cheese)

METHOD

Put a large pan of water onto boil for the pappardelle.

While you wait, trim the ends off the asparagus and chop into 2-3cm pieces. Once the water has come up to boil, blanch the asparagus and the peas for two to three minutes and then place in a bowl of ice-cold water

Keep the pan of water on the hob and boil the pasta according to pack instructions.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a frying pan, then add the olive oil, shallots and garlic and gently fry for five minutes until soft. Add the crème fraiche to the pan and stir to gently warm through, making sure it doesn’t split. Add the fresh chopped mint, asparagus and peas to the pan and stir through, along with a little of pasta water to loosen the mixture up.

Once the pasta is cooked, drain well and add to the sauce. Season to your liking and then serve with a grating of parmesan, a sprinkle of more fresh mint and a drizzle of olive oil.