Garganelli con asparagi e noci

 It’s been a while since my last appearance here. Family and friends start to show up to enjoy Rome under the warm and sunny season. It’s always a pleasure for us to receive people, Giacomo has sometimes little friends to play with and occasions to learn more about his french family. I also like to think about dinner I will have to prepare, changes from our usual food habits and of course pleasure to discover more about Rome and its neighbourhoods.

Recently Nora showed up with some asparagus she was obviously overwhelmed with. After some disapointed trials in gratin, I though that associated it with pasta would be more Italian fashion. And the result turned out to be pretty good. In the following recipe I used garganelli as pasta, but it seems to me that penne rigatte would be better!    

English table (4 servings):

•  360 g garganelli
• 1 bunch of green asparagus
• 120 g freshly grated Parmesan
• 180 ml liquid fresh cream
• 60 g minced nuts

1. Slice the aspargus in section of 2-3 cm long and 4-5 cm long with head included. Put them in boiling salted water for 7-8 minutes.
2. Drain and reserve the heads.
3. Mix the remain aspargus with the Parmesan, cream and nuts.
4. Pour the salsa on the garganelli and add the asparagus heads. Serve immediately. 

La table française (4 pers.):

• 360 g de garganelli
• 1 botte d’asperges vertes
• 120 g de parmesan fraîchement râpé
• 180 ml de creme fraiche liquide
• 60 g de cerneaux de noix hâchées

1. Couper les asperges en tronçons de 2-3 cm et de 4-5 cm au niveau des têtes. Plonger le tout dans de l’eau bouillante légèrement salée pendant 7-8 minutes.
2. Egoutter. Réserver les têtes des asperges.
3. Mixer le reste des asperges avec le parmesan, la crème et les noix.
4. Verser la sauce sur les garganelli et décorer avec les têtes des asperges. Servir aussitôt. 

La tavola Italiana (4 pers.):

• 360 g garganelli
• 1 mazzetto di asparagi verdi
• 120 g parmigiano grattugiato
• 180 ml panna liquida
• 60 g noci frullate

1. Tagliare gli asparagi in pezzettini di 2-3 cm e di 4-5 cm con la cima. Mettere nell’acqua salata bollente per circa 7-8 minuti.
2. Scolare. Mettere da parte le cime.
3. Frullare insieme il resto degli asparagi, il parmigiano, la crema e le noci.
4. Versare la salsa sulla pasta, aggiungere le cime e servire.