Ingredients

• 500g/1lb 4oz fine semolina flour
• plus extra for dusting
• 5 free-range eggs
• 1 bunch asparagus
• trimmed
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 50g/1¾oz butter
• 1 lemon
• juice only
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 100g/3½oz homemade breadcrumbs
• 1 lemon
• zest only
• 1 garlic clove
• finely chopped
• 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
• 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh flatleaf parsley

Directions

• For the pasta
• place the flour and eggs into a food processor and pulse until well combined and the mixture comes together as a dough. Place the dough in a bowl
• cover with cling film and place in the fridge to rest for 30 minutes.
• Flour the pasta machine. Cut the pasta dough in half and pass it through the pasta machine at its widest setting. Repeat this process
• decreasing the roller setting down grade by grade with each pass until the dough is thin enough to pass through your cutter.
• Add your cutter to the pasta machine and pass the pasta through the machine to make your chosen shape. Dust the pasta with a little semolina.
• Repeat the process with the remaining dough
• then place the shapes onto a plate and use immediately or refrigerate overnight.
• To cook the pasta
• in a large pan of salted boiling water cook the pasta until al dente. Drain
• reserving a little of the cooking water
• and keep warm.
• For the griddled asparagus
• preheat a griddle pan and drizzle olive oil over the asparagus. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add the asparagus and
• once marked with bars from the griddle pan
• add the butter
• a little of the pasta water and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• For the lemon and breadcrumb topping
• heat a large frying pan and add the olive oil. Once hot
• add the breadcrumbs
• lemon
• garlic and thyme and cook until the crumbs are golden-brown. Just before serving
• stir through the chopped parsley.
• To serve
• remove the asparagus from the pan
• cut into pieces and add back into the pan. Add to the pasta and toss until all the pasta is coated. Add a couple of tablespoons of the breadcrumb mixture and toss together.
• Serve in warm bowls topped with the remaining breadcrumb mixture.