Straw and Hay Fettuccine Tangle with Spring Asparagus Puree

Another great recipe from Heidi Swanson. I’ve been wanting to make this one for about a year and was so glad I did. I cut down on the cheese and oil considerably and left out the pine nuts. I think by doing this, you could taste the fresh spinach and asparagus so much more, which made it great, but not rich.

The folate-rich asparagus and spinach puree can be made ahead of time; store it in the refrigerator in a jar topped with a layer of olive oil.

Ingredients:

Spring Asparagus Puree:

1 bunch asparagus spears, trimmed and halved crosswise

3 handfuls baby spinach leaves

2 cloves garlic

¼ Ccup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for topping

1 Tablespoon cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for topping

Juice of ½ lemon

½ teaspoon fine-grain sea salt

4 ounces dried spinach fettuccine, or 6 ounces fresh

4 ounces dried egg fettuccine, or 6 ounces fresh

Directions:

Bring two pots of water to a rolling boil, one large and one medium. You’ll use the large one to cook the pasta and the medium one to blanch the asparagus.To make the asparagus puree, salt the asparagus water and drop the spears into the pot. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the spears are bright green and barely tender. Drain and transfer to a food processor (preferably) or a blender. Add the spinach, garlic, and the 1/4 cup of Parmesan. Puree and, with the motor running, drizzle the tablespoon of olive oil until a paste forms. It should be the loose consistency of pesto; if too thick, thin it with a bit of the pasta water. Add the lemon juice and salt, then taste and adjust the seasoning.Salt the pasta water well and cook the pasta until just tender; you’ll need less time for fresh pasta, more for dried. Drain and toss immediately with 1 cup of the asparagus puree, stirring in more afterward depending on how heavily coated you like your pasta. Serve sprinkled with a dusting of Parmesan, and a quick drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil. I added a couple of sprigs of fresh basil.

Serves 4 to 6.

5 points per serving (for 4 servings total)