Creamy Lemon & Asparagus Sauce With Fresh Tagliatelle

Before you begin...

Get all your ingredients and equipment ready

Skim through these steps, then wash your fruit and veg

Note: Equipment and pan sizes vary. Make sure you cook food thoroughly (even if it takes you a little longer than 10 min)

Now, let's get started!

Boil a kettle

Trim the woody ends off your asparagus, then chop into thirds

Peel and slice (don't chop!) your garlic

Peel 2 thin strips of zest per person from your lemon[s] (avoid the white bitter pith)

Heat a large, wide-based pan (preferably non-stick) with a drizzle of olive oil over a medium-high heat

Once hot, add the chopped asparagus to the pan with a pinch of salt and cook for 2-3 min or until beginning to soften

Meanwhile, add your fresh tagliatelle to a pot of boiled water with a large pinch of salt and bring to the boil over a high heat

Cook the taglietelle for 3-4 min or until cooked with a slight bite

Once done, drain the tagliatelle, reserving a cup of the starchy pasta water

Add the sliced garlic and lemon zest strips to the pan with the asparagus and cook for 1-2 min further or until fragrant

Cut the zested lemon[s] in half

Once fragrant, add the juice of half your lemon[s] to the pan along with your vegetable stock mix

Reduce the heat to medium-low, then add your crème fraîche, half your grated Italian hard cheese (save the rest for garnish!) and a splash of the starchy pasta water and give everything a good mix up

Season with a pinch of salt and a grind of black pepper and gently cook for 1 min or until warmed through

Tip: Make sure the pan isn't too hot as this could cause your sauce to split!

Once the sauce is warmed through, discard the lemon zest strips, then remove the pan from the heat and add the drained tagliatelle

Give everything a gentle mix up until the pasta is coated in the sauce – this is your creamy lemon & asparagus sauce with fresh tagliatelle

Cut the remaining lemon into 1 wedge per person

Wash your salad, then pat it dry with kitchen paper