My husband and I are obsessed with burrata- especially with asparagus. Such a heavenly combination!
Naturally, as I am also such a pasta fan, this dish caught my eye right away. It was fresh and especially wonderful to make in backyard herb season. This recipe was adapted from a Food and Wine “staff favorite” recipe, contributed by Grace Parisi. I doubled the asparagus, substituted fresh pappardelle for fazzoletti, and omitted the chervil. Yum!
Yield: Serves 6 to 8
- 3/4 cup parsley, plus more for garnish
- 2 T snipped chives, plus more for garnish
- 2 T tarragon leaves, plus more for garnish
- 2 T chervil leaves, plus more for garnish, optional
- 1 1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
- 2 pounds asparagus, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1 pound fresh pasta sheets, cut into 3-inch squares (fazzoletti) or fresh pappardelle
- 1/4 cup raw pine nuts, preferably Italian
- 8 to 10 ounces burrata or buffalo mozzarella, cut into cubes
- In a blender or food processor, combine the 3/4 cup of parsley with the 2 tablespoons each of chives, tarragon and chervil (if using). Pulse until chopped.
- Add the lemon juice and 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons of the oil to the herbs and puree until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Put the asparagus in a colander and ease it into the boiling water. Blanch the asparagus just until bright green, about 2 minutes. Rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process. Shake dry.
- Boil the pasta until al dente. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup of the pasta cooking water.
- In a large, deep skillet, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil. Add the pine nuts and toast over moderate heat until golden; transfer to a plate.
- Add the pasta, herb puree, asparagus and the pasta water to the skillet. Cook over moderate heat, tossing well.
- Toss in the cheese and pine nuts.
- Transfer to bowls and garnish with whole herbs.
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