Asparagus, Lemon and Walnut Pasta

1. Bring a pan of salted water to a boil.

2. While you’re waiting for the water to heat up, prep the asparagus. Chop off and discard the tough ends (usually the bottom 2-3 inches of the stalk). Chop the remaining stalk into 1/2 inch pieces, leaving the tips whole.

3. By now you should be ready to add the pasta to the water. You are going to cook it according to package instructions so go ahead and set a timer. Once you’ve done this, heat the olive oil in a medium saute pan over medium heat. Then throw in the garlic, and swish it around for a minute or two with a wooden spoon.

4. Add the asparagus and the water, and leave it to simmer for 4-5 minutes.

5. Fish out the 1/2 inch pieces of asparagus (leave the tips in the pan) and pop them in your blender, along with the garlic water from the saute pan. Process until you have a smooth, creamy sauce.

6. Pour the sauce back into the saute pan with the asparagus tips. Keep it on a low heat. Add the lemon juice, zest and some salt to taste. I added about 1/2 teaspoon of salt but you may prefer more/less.

7. By now, your pasta should be done and ready to drain. Drain it, but don’t worry about shaking off all the excess starchy water. A little actually helps here when you add the sauce. Leave the pasta in the pot.

8. Stir the asparagus sauce (and tips) into the pasta and toss well until it’s all coated. Serve between two plates and scatter the chopped walnuts over the top. Add a few whole walnuts to garnish.

Recipe slightly adapted from Food52.com. I adapted it based on my experience making and tasting it.