Lemon pasta with Parmesan, green asparagus, and pine nuts

Ingredients

• 500 g spaghetti
• 800 g green asparagus, trimmed and cut into bite-sized pieces
• 50–100 g pine nuts
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2–3 tbsp olive oil
• 250 ml vegetable broth, set aside some pasta cooking water
• 2 organic lemons, juice and zest
• 150 g Parmesan, grated
• 50 g Parmesan for serving
• 2 eggs
• Red wine salt/sea salt to taste
• Pepper from the mill to taste

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Blanch the green asparagus in it for 2–3 minutes, then remove with a slotted spoon, rinse briefly in cold water, and drain well.
   
2. Meanwhile, toast the pine nuts in a large pan with a little olive oil and salt until light brown. Remove and set aside.
3. Add a little olive oil to the pan and briefly sauté the blanched asparagus until it starts to take on some color. Remove and set aside as well.
4. Briefly toast half of the lemon zest with a small splash of olive oil and a pinch of salt in the pan until fragrant. Remove immediately and set aside.
5. Sauté the garlic in 2 tbsp of olive oil over medium heat for about 2 minutes until translucent.
6. Deglaze with vegetable broth and lemon juice, and let the liquid simmer slightly for about 10 minutes.
7. Cook the spaghetti in the asparagus water according to package instructions until al dente. Before draining, reserve some of the pasta water.
8. In a separate bowl, thoroughly whisk the eggs with 150 g of grated Parmesan and the remaining lemon zest.
9. Add the drained spaghetti directly into the lemon sauce. Add the Parmesan-egg mixture as well as the sautéed asparagus and fold everything in carefully and thoroughly over very low heat. If necessary, add some of the reserved pasta water to make the sauce nice and creamy.
10. Season to taste with sea salt or red wine salt and freshly ground pepper.
11. Serve topped with the toasted pine nuts, the toasted lemon zest, and the remaining Parmesan.

Enjoy your fresh lemon pasta with green asparagus!