Spaghetti with Charred Asparagus, Lemon, and Basil

By cserumga

Ingredients

• 1 lb thin asparagus spears
• 3-4 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 4 Tbsp lemon juice
• 12 oz dried spaghetti
• 2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
• 1/4 - 1/2 tsp dried chili flakes
• 1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp basil leaves
• 1 oz Parmesan cheese, freshly grated, plus extra to serve
• salt and pepper

Details

Servings 4
Preparation time 10mins
Cooking time 30mins

Preparation

Step 1

1. Brush the asparagus spears with a little oil and cook under a preheated hot broiler until charred and tender. Toss with a little more oil and half the lemon juice, season to taste with salt and pepper, and set aside.

2. Cook the pasta in a pan of lightly salted boiling water for 10-12 minutes, or according to the instructions on the package. Just before the pasta is cooked, heat the remaining oil in a large skillet and saute the garlic with a little salt for 3-4 minutes, or until softened but not browned. Add the chili flakes and asparagus and heat through.

3. Drain the pasta, reserving 4 Tbsp of the cooking liquid. Add the pasta and cooking liquid to the asparagus pan with the basil, the remaining lemon juice, and the Parmesan. Season to taste with pepper and serve immediately, with extra Parmesan.