This is a light and fresh dish, perfect to enjoy when the asparagus season starts. Make your Easter lunch special with this recipe, pairing it with a good glass of Italian white wine as Sauvignon or Pinot Bianco.
INGREDIENTS for 4 servings:
- 300 g tagliatelle fresh pasta
- 400 g asparagus
- 20 shrimps, without shells and vein on the back
- 20 g butter
- 1 small white onion, finely chopped
- 1 cup of basil leaves
- 1/2 glass of white wine
- 1 tbsp pine nuts
- salt and pepper, to taste
INSTRUCTIONS
- Trim the ends of the asparagus off (where the color becomes a paler shade of green). Peel the spears with a vegetable peeler, if needed. Place water in the bottom half of a steamer pan set. Steam for 5 to 10 minutes or until asparagus is tender. (If you don’t have a steamer pan set, you can cook asparagus in boiling water for 5 to 10 minutes). Remove asparagus with tongs, cut some of the tips and keep aside (you’ll use them for garnishing), then cut the remaining spears into 1/2-cm slices. Use half of them, the basil leaves and the pine nuts to make a light and creamy pesto. Add a ladle of asparagus-cooking-water and, with a food processor, mix until obtaining a homogeneous cream.
- In a wok pan melt the butter, then add the onion and let it sauté for few minutes, until translucent. Pour the wine and let it evaporate. then add the shrimps. After few minutes add the sliced asparagus and let sautè for 3/4 minutes. Pour the asparagus and basil pesto, mix together and switch off the heat.
- Meanwhile, fill a big pot with water and bring to a boil. When it is boiling, add salt, tagliatelle and an few oil drops (to avoid that them sticking). Check the cooking time on the pasta box. Take a glass of cooking water and keep aside. Drain the pasta and pour it into the pan with sauce, tossing it gently and very well. If it is too sticky add a bit of cooking water, a little at a time. Dust with ground pepper and serve it!
mad and delicacy 
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