Spring came to Tuscany and to Casa Bellavista right on schedule this year.  Guido and I have spent much time preparing the garden, the fruit and olive grove and the flowers so that they will be beautiful for our guests.  Springtime is a lovely time of year in Tuscany.

Last week I had six very nice Venezuelan guests.  They were very interested in Italian art and they were also very curious about Italian food.  They asked, one day, if I would prepare dinner for them and they expressly asked for a pasta dish.

Of course, Italy is especially famous for its pasta.  Having already prepared a typical local pasta dish with ragu sauce, I wondered… “What will I make for them now?”  As is my custom in these cases, I go to market and look for the seasonal vegetables that are there.  I do not like to cook things that are not in season, otherwise how can one really taste the flavors each season has to offer.

And so, the day of the dinner, after having prepared breakfast for my children Carolina and Filippo and having seen them leave on the minibus which takes them to school and having fed my guests breakfast, I went to market.

When I saw the stalls full of asparagus, I had no further doubts and said to myself, “tonight I will cook the asparagus!”

Well, I bought so many of them (because I adore them with eggs and a little parmigiano on top…you should try it, it is very good).  When I got back to Casa Bellavista, I prepared the sauce for the pasts which you will find below.

Fortunately, everybody liked my pasta so much that they had a second serving.  I have attached the recipe for you so you can now try it and tell me if you like this pasta dish.

Ciao,
Simonetta
www.casabellavista.it

TRENETTE CON ASPARAGI E PISELLI

CASA BELLAVISTA B&B

Ingredients:

· 400 grams of trenette or tagliatelle
· 500 grams of asparagus
· 300 grams of peas
· 1 onion
· salt and pepper
· Rind of lemon
· Parmasian cheese
· extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

Cut the asparagus in to pieces about one inch long.  Boil the lower parts of the asparagus in salted water.  When they are tender, remove them from the water.  In the same water boil the other parts of the asparagus for a few minutes.

Mince the onion finely and brown in a pot with a little oil.  Add the lower parts of the asparagus and after a few minutes whisk them adding a little of the cooking water and the peas, cooking them until finished.  Salt and pepper and add the grated rind of the lemon and the points of the asparagus.

In the meanwhile boil the trenette or tagliatelle in the water used to cook the asparagus.   When cooked, drain, combine with the sauce, season and add the Parmesan.

Outstanding recipe. I tried it and it's an absolute winner. It has been neatly filed away in my book of family recipes - which has (to date) been handed down for three generations. Thanks so much.

Posted by: Jacoba at May 16, 2008 4:30:00 PM

Outstanding recipe. I tried it and it's an absolute winner. It has been neatly filed away in my book of family recipes - which has (to date) been handed down for three generations. Thanks so much.

Posted by: Jacoba at May 16, 2008 4:31:20 PM

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