Rigatoni and Asparagus au Gratin
This is an
excellent way to turn 8oz / 225g of asparagus stalks
into a substantial supper dish for two people. Vegetarians might like to know
that a vegetarian parmesan-style cheese is available.
Serves : 2
Ingredients:
5oz / 150g Rigatoni
8oz / 225g Asparagus
(prepared weight)
10 floz / 275ml Milk
ľoz / 20g Plain Flour
ľoz / 20g Butter
A Grating of Fresh Nutmeg
1˝oz / 40g Parmesan
(Parmigiano Reggiano),
finely grated
1˝ tbsp Extra Virgin
Olive Oil
1lb / 450g Ripe Red Tomatoes,
skinned and chopped
1˝oz / 40g Pecorino
Cheese, pared into shavings with a potato peeler
Salt and Freshly
Milled Black Pepper
Instructions:
1.
Pre-heat
the oven to Gas Mark 6 / 400°F / 200°C.
2.
First of
all place the milk, flour and butter in a saucepan
and whisk together over a gentle heat until the sauce begins to simmer and
thicken.
3.
Then season
with salt and pepper and a good
grating of nutmeg.
4.
After that
turn the heat down to its lowest setting and let the sauce cook for 3 minutes,
then stir in the grated Parmesan,
remove from the heat, cover with a lid and leave on one side while you prepare
the other ingredients.
5.
Prepare
the asparagus by
cutting the stalks diagonally into pieces roughly the same size as the rigatoni.
6.
Then take
a 9 inch / 23cm frying pan, heat up the oil in it and sauté
the asparagus
pieces for about 5 minutes, tossing them around the pan and keeping the heat
fairly high so that they colour at the edges.
7.
Then add
the tomatoes to
the pan, and let them bubble and reduce for about 1 minute.
8.
Then turn
the heat off.
9.
Next cook the
pasta in plenty of boiling salted water for 6 minutes only; then drain it
in a colander.
10.
Return it
to the saucepan, add the sauce and the asparagus mixture
and mix thoroughly.
11.
Taste to
check the seasoning, pour the whole lot into the gratin dish, sprinkle with the shavings of Pecorino cheese
and bake in the oven for 8 – 10 minutes.
12.
Serve
straight away.
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