Pasta salad with peas, asparagus and goat’s cheese

SERVES 6 PREP AND COOK TIME 25 MINUTES 500g good-quality orecchiette pasta

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

250g shelled fresh peas (see Maggie’s tip)

3 bunches thick-stemmed asparagus, ends trimmed

⅓ cup (50g) pine nuts, roasted (see Maggie’s tip, previous page)

½ cup loosely packed fresh chervil leaves

¾ cup loosely packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped coarsely

100g soft goats’ cheese

DRESSING

⅓ cup (80ml) extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon chardonnay vinegar

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 Place a large saucepan of water over high heat, bring to the boil and add 2 tablespoons of sea salt. Add pasta and boil for 10 minutes or until just cooked through – al dente. Remove from the heat; strain off the water. Stir through the oil, then tip the pasta onto a tray and spread out to cool slightly.

2 Meanwhile, place another medium saucepan of water over high heat and bring to the boil. Add the peas and asparagus; boil for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and drain. Cut the asparagus into about three pieces each. Place the peas and asparagus into a large bowl; add the pasta, most of the pine nuts, most of the chervil and parsley. Mix together well and season to taste with sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper.

3 DRESSING Place oil, vinegar and mustard in a small bowl and whisk well, then season to taste with sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper.

4 Pour the Dressing over the pasta mixture and mix well. Place on a serving platter and top with the goat’s cheese, the remaining pine nuts and chervil. Not suitable to freeze or microwave.