Casarecce pasta recipe with asparagus, chilli, pancetta and garlic

Name: Casarecce pasta recipe with asparagus, chilli, pancetta and garlic
Cook time: 30 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 2 bunches asparagus; 500g casarecce pasta; 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil; 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped; 2 eschallots, finely diced; 1 tbsp red chilli flakes; 120g pancetta, finely diced; sea salt; freshly ground pepper; small handful flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped; grated parmesan, to serve

Neil Perry

December 19, 2016

Casarecce pasta with asparagus, chilli, garlic and pancetta.William Meppem

easyTime:< 30 minsServes:4

Casarecce is a short pasta which has been rolled and twisted. If you can't find it, fusilli or farfalle will also work well, but the simplicity of this dish means almost any pasta is suitable.

Ingredients

2 bunches asparagus
500g casarecce pasta
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 eschallots, finely diced
1 tbsp red chilli flakes
120g pancetta, finely diced
sea salt
freshly ground pepper
small handful flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped
grated parmesan, to serve

Method

Step 1
Snap off the woody ends of the asparagus. Slice asparagus into pieces about the same length as the pasta.
Step 2
Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente. Drain pasta, reserving about 1 cup of the cooking water. Toss pasta in a little oil (about 1 tbsp) to keep from sticking together.
Step 3
In a saucepan large enough to fit all the pasta and asparagus, add remaining oil, garlic, chilli flakes, eschallots and pancetta with a pinch of salt. Place on a medium-low heat until the ingredients begin to sizzle, flavouring the oil.
Step 4
After a minute or so, add a couple of tablespoons of the pasta water, along with the asparagus. Cook gently until the asparagus is al dente, about 4-5 minutes, adding a little more pasta water as necessary to create a sauce.
Step 5
Add pasta, a good grind of pepper and chopped parsley to the sauce, tossing quickly to coat the pasta and warm it through. Serve immediately with parmesan and an extra drizzle of oil.