Asparagus Pasta

Serves two

Pasta is fail-safe family food and a God-send to busy couples who don't have much time for cooking in the middle of the week.

It's just too easy to buy a tomato or Bolognese sauce - nothing wrong with those, of course. But if you want an impressive change, try this one.

10 asparagus tips
145g/5 oz spaghettini
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 onion, finely chopped
Half a red pepper, stalk and seeds removed and finely chopped
1 small avocado (slightly under-ripe) cubed
2 heaped tbsp freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Boil the asparagus until just tender - about five minutes.

At the same time, cook the pasta and when al dente, strain, rinse briefly, return to saucepan and add oil and vinegar.

Mix in the onion, pepper and avocado. Serve with asparagus on top, liberally sprinkled with cheese.

Michael's Tip
If you buy asparagus with woody stems, don't throw the stems away. They're brilliant added to a home-made stock with carrots, parsnips, swedes, onions, garlic, turnips and any herbs you have to hand.

Just let them simmer in water for two hours. Use the stock to make soup, or reduce it by half by boiling vigorously for another hour and freeze for another day.