Asparagus pasta with walnuts recipe from Marche, Central Italy

5 from 47 votes

Asparagus pasta with walnuts recipe from Marche, Central Italy

This vegetarian asparagus pasta with wanuts is a simple traditional recipe from the Marche region in central Italy. It's easy to make, full of typical Italian flavours and very nutritious.

Prep Time15

Cook Time25

Course: Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine: Central Italy, Italian, Le Marche, Mediterranean

Keyword: asparagus pasta, authentic Italian pasta recipe, spaghetti recipe, vegetarian, walnuts

Servings:

Calories: 585kcal

Author: Jacqui

Ingredients

320 g spaghetti (11oz)
500 g fresh green asparagus (1lb) or wild asparagus
60 g shelled walnuts (2oz) chopped or crushed into pieces
30 g butter (1oz)
2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil.
1-2 garlic cloves peeled and crushed
1 handful fresh parsley chopped
50 g Pecorino Romano or vegetarian parmesan (1.7oz) grated
salt for asparagus, pasta and to taste
freshly ground black pepper. to taste

Instructions

Prepare the ingredients

Wash the asparagus and break off the harder stalk ends. If you bend asparagus, they will break in the right place naturally. Cut the very end of the stalks off. Par-boil the spears in salted water for just a minute. Remove from the water and then par-boil the stalks for 3-4 minutes. Keep the water to cook the pasta in and cut the asparagus (spears and stalks) into small pieces.
Crush or chop the shelled walnuts into small pieces. Peel and crush the garlic cloves. Wash and chop the parsley.

Cook and serve

Heat the butter in a pan with 2 tablespoons of oil and brown the garlic cloves. Add a little chopped parsley. After a couple of minutes, add the asparagus (tips and stalks) and fry them on a low heat for another 5 minutes.
Add the chopped walnuts to the pan, remove the garlic, season with salt and a pinch of freshly ground black pepper. Then sauté over a low heat for the last 2 minutes. You can use a fork to crush the asparagus stems slightly to make the sauce a little creamy.
Cook the spaghetti al dente in the water used to par-boil the asparagus, save a little of the cooking water and drain the pasta. Add the drained pasta with a little cooking water to the asparagus and walnuts. Add 2 heaped tablespoons of grated cheese, mix well over a low heat until the sauce becomes creamy.
Serve immediately with more chopped parsley and more grated cheese if required.

Notes

What to do with leftovers.

If you have leftovers, you can keep them sealed in the fridge for 1-2 days. The best way to use the leftovers of this dish is to make a frittata. Fry the leftovers in a little oil and butter, then add beaten eggs and cook until the underside starts to brown. Turn the frittata over or place it under a grill to brown the other side.

Nutrition