Did you luck out with a case of asparagus last week? I was lucky enough to share a case with a friend. I’ve got Asparagus coming out my ears…Here is one way that I used some this week.
I started out following Gordon Ramsay’s recipe for a rustic pasta sauce that included anchovies. Well, I didn’t have any anchovies, but I did have sardines. Earlier in the day, I had canned a bunch of asparagus, and had some inch long pieces that didn’t quite fit in my jars. So, I decided to take Gordon’s basic recipe and modify it for what I had on hand in my kitchen.
Asparagus and Sardine Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 pound gluten free penne (I get mine from Costo)
- Olive Oil
- 3 cloves of garlic, diced
- 1-2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 tin of sardines (4 oz)
- 8 oz of rough chopped black olives (make sure no pits make it in)
- 10 oz of grape tomatoes (cut in half)
- 3/4 cup of inch long asparagus pieces (or more...as much as you'd like really)
- 3 Tbs of capers (rinsed)
- Fresh basil (for garnish)
- Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- While the pasta is cooking (follow the directions on the pasta) heat a large high sided frying pan with olive oil (enough to thinly coat the bottom
- Add in the garlic, crushed red peppers, and sardines. Cook for a couple minutes, stirring frequently until the garlic is aromatic, and the sardines begin to melt away.
- Add in the olives, capers, asparagus, and tomatoes.
- Cook for about 5 minutes, until the tomatoes soften and burst.
- Toss the pasta (drained) into the sauce. You might need to add a bit more olive oil to help coat the pasta here.
- Garnish with the fresh basil and Parmesan cheese.
Copyright 2007 - 2020 Tanya Jolly & Sally Stevens
This was a huge hit with the adults in the family. The kids had no issues with the sardines…but they totally hated the asparagus, olive, and tomato chunks.
Just made this – absolutely delish! Looks fab too. No capers so substituted with chopped cornichons. Excellent pantry recipe!!
Very good- presentation and taste