Pasta with Griddled Asparagus and Lemon Breadcrumbs

Ingredients

• 500g Fusilli Lunghi pasta
• 1 bunch of English asparagus
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• 1 lemon
• 50g English butter
• 100g homemade breadcrumbs
• 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
• 2 tbsp finely chopped flatleaf parsley
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• Salt and pepper

Method

1. Bring a large pan of water to the boil and add salt if required. Keeping the water at a rolling boil add 500g of Fusilli Lunghi pasta. Stir with a wooden spoon to prevent the pasta from sticking together and to avoid damaging. Cook for the recommended time, drain reserving a little of the cooking water and keep warm.
2. For the griddled asparagus, preheat a griddle pan and drizzle 1 tbsp of olive oil over the asparagus. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add the asparagus and, once marked with bars from the griddle pan, add the butter, a little of the pasta water and juice of one lemon. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
3. For the lemon and breadcrumb topping, heat a large frying pan and add 2 tbsp of olive oil. Once hot, add the breadcrumbs, zest of the lemon, garlic and thyme and cook until the crumbs are golden-brown. Just before serving, stir through the chopped parsley.
4. To serve, remove the asparagus from the griddle pan, cut into pieces and add back into the pan. Then add to the pasta and toss until all the pasta is coated. Add a couple of tablespoons of the breadcrumb mixture and mix together.
5. Serve in warm bowls topped with the remaining breadcrumb mixture.

Recipe adapted from a BBC James Martin Recipe: https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/fresh_pasta_with_19294