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The second asparagus recipe of the season, but one that doesn’t feature asparagus in its naked glory.  Usually I only eat asparagus on its own, with delicious extras that enhance its earthy flavours, so putting it into pasta was a first.  It was delicious, and I would definitely do it again.

Asparagus and mushroom pasta

Serves 2

Pasta (enough for two)
Bundle of asparagus
200g chestnut mushrooms
Spoonful of mascarpone cheese
Handful of grated Parmesan

Preheat the oven to 180-200°C.

Cook the pasta as you normally would or according to the packet.

Prepare the asparagus by gently bending the stems until they naturally snap – discard the woody stem.  Pour a little olive oil into a roasting dish and add the asparagus.  Add a little salt and pepper and mix well before shoving in the oven for about 15-20 minutes or until the asparagus is tender.

Meanwhile, roughly chop the mushrooms and heat a knob of butter in a frying pan.  Add the mushrooms to the pan and cook on a high heat until they start to crisp and turn golden.

When the pasta is cooked, drain and return to the pan.  Stir in a spoonful of mascarpone cheese, some salt and pepper, and a little extra virgin olive.  Tip in the cooked mushrooms.  Spoon the pasta onto your warm plates.

Cut the roasted asparagus into pieces – I used a pair of tongs and scissors.  Add the asparagus to the pasta, and top with some grated Parmesan and a drizzle of oil.