Thursday, May 2, 2013

Spaghetti Carbonara with Asparagus ribbons

I bought some asparagus at the farmer's market last weekend since I love asparagus and was so glad to see them back in season. However, they only had giant asparagus stalks that were way too thick to eat whole or even cut up. I remembered trying to make an asparagus with pasta recipe last year that didn't turn out quite right, and decided to try it again but with shaved asparagus ribbons instead of chopped asparagus. The result was great, although I think I would use a wider, flatter noodle than spaghetti next time. The asparagus allowed me to cut back on noodles but still gave a nice crunch. I tried using a vegetable peeler to make the ribbons, but I think a mandoline is necessary for this recipe.



Ingredients:
1 lb asparagus, cleaned and trimmed
7 oz dry spaghetti (about half a box)
2 egg yolks
1/2 tsp lemon zest
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp olive oil
Shaved or shredded parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Prepare spaghetti according to package directions for al dente, reserving 1 cup pasta water and draining the rest.
2.  Shave asparagus with mandoline into extra thin slices, being careful not to cut yourself on the super sharp blade!
3.  Heat oil in a pan on medium and add minced garlic, stirring until lightly golden.
4. Add asparagus ribbons to pan and sautee for about 7 minutes or until asparagus is pliable but not limp (depends how thin you cut them). Make sure to stir often and coat the asparagus in oil so it cooks evenly. Add salt and pepper to taste.
5.  Add drained pasta to pan and mix thoroughly with asparagus for about 2 minutes. Remove pan from heat and add egg yolks, then mix again until evenly distributed.
6. Season with salt and pepper, and served topped with parmesan cheese and lemon zest.

Note: carbonara is in quotes because it is supposed to have bacon in it, which I was out of but would probably make this dish delicious!