This recipe is for a flavorful and adaptable pasta dish that combines the freshness of asparagus with the savory crunch of bacon and the richness of Parmesan cheese. 

Crisp bacon, sauteed asparagus and creamy Parmesan tossed with pasta

Serves 4

1 bunch asparagus
12  slices bacon,  sliced into small strips
1 pound/450g Tagliatelle
¼ pound/113g Parmesan
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
extra virgin olive oil

Snap the woody bottoms off the asparagus stalks and throw them away.

Cut off the top 1 ½” of each stalk, put to one side and finely chop the remaining stalks. Heat a wide frying pan and gently fry the chopped asparagus stalks in a little olive oil with the bacon. When the asparagus softens slightly, turn the heat off and mash them roughly with the back of a fork.

Cook the tagliatelle in plenty of boiling salted water, according to pack instructions. Add the asparagus tips for the last 2 minutes of cooking time.

Drain the pasta, reserving a cup of the cooking water, and toss with the mashed asparagus and turkey bacon

Stir in most of the Parmesan cheese and season with salt and pepper. If needed, loosen the pasta with a little of the cooking water. Serve with the last of the Parmesan sprinkled on top.