Pea & Asparagus Pasta

Ingredients

• 200g Fusilli Bucati (or more for the number of servings you’re making)

• 250g Frozen Peas

• 120g THIS isn’t plant-based bacon lardons

• 2 Garlic Cloves, chopped

• 1 Onion, chopped

• A Small Bunch of Asparagus Tips

• A Small Knob of Butter

• 100g Breadcrumbs (either fresh or shop-bought)

• Salt & Pepper for seasoning

• A tablespoon of Olive OilFor Rolling

Recipe

In a large frying pan, melt the butter over a medium heat, before adding the onion and garlic. After a minute or so, add the plant-based lardons and increase the heat, adding a little olive oil if needed. After another 3 or 4 minutes, add the asparagus tips to the pan. Keep stirring and cooking for 10 minutes or until the ‘lardons’ are crispy. Once everything is cooked, turn the heat off and remove the asparagus from the pan and set aside.

Meanwhile, bring a saucepan of water to the boil, and cook the frozen peas. Once cooked, using a slotted spoon, transfer the peas and a cup of the cooking water to a blender. Add a generous amount of salt and pepper and blend until smooth, adding a little more water if needed. The consistency should be like a thick, velvety smoothie.

At this point, I like to put the pasta into the already boiling water that was used for the peas and cook according to packet instructions.

Whilst the pasta is cooking, add the smooth pea sauce to the lardon pan, stirring everything through and fry the breadcrumbs in a separate small frying pan, in olive oil and until golden brown. Set aside until serving.

When the pasta is ready, stir it through the pea sauce with a little reserved pasta water to loosen, as well as a little extra salt to your taste. Serve the pasta topped with asparagus and then the crispy breadcrumbs. Enjoy!