White Asparagus and Lemon Butter Pasta

It's Spargelzeit! Here in Germany, this means white asparagus (weiss spargel) season is upon us. White asparagus is a different creature than green asparagus--even though the white stuff is simply what happens when you grow the green kind without sunlight. It's woodier, requiring peeling before cooking, and has a creamier texture and slightly sweeter taste to it when cooked. It has a short growing season and is considered a delicacy. I wrote about the German love of this "king of vegetables" last year. Since I'm living in Berlin now and it's everywhere, I've been experimenting with white spargel cooking. Tonight it was spargel pasta in a rich lemon butter sauce. Recipe after the jump.

White Asparagus and Lemon Butter Pasta
Serves 2-3
1 lb. white asparagus
juice from 1 lemon (2-3 tbl.)
1/2 stick butter + about a tbl. extra for the asparagus cooking water
1-2 tbl. olive oil
2 cups dried pasta (I used penne)
~a teaspoon of sugar
salt & pepper
reserved pasta water
Parmesan cheese (for serving)

Stick a pot of water on the stove to boil and salt it generously (for the pasta). While the water is heating, wash and peel the asparagus. This part can be tedious and the asparagus can break if you're not careful (this isn't a big deal in this recipe, since it winds up being cut into pieces, but white asparagus is usually served whole). The best way to do it is to hold it flat against a cutting board, peel one side starting about an inch below the tip, then rotate and peel again until you've done the whole stalk. You'll also want to cut off the bottom inch or so. I've mentioned how the kitchen-built-for-giants in my sublet is missing a number of basic utensils--like measuring cups and spoons. One thing it does have is a special spargel peeler, which is in the shape of, you guessed it, a stalk of white asparagus. Check it out:

Very fancy. I don't know what makes this peeler superior to a regular potato peeler, but who I am to argue with the the Germans about asparagus? I think it might peel thinner strips off the stalks, thus preserving more of the interior. I'm positive it is not entirely necessary.

Add pasta to boiling water (it will be boiling by this point--peeling a pound of asparagus takes awhile). Cook until al dente and drain, reserving pasta water. Toss pasta with olive oil and return to pot. Set aside.

At the same time, add a couple cups of water to a skillet large enough to hold the asparagus in a single layer. The water should come up to about half-way on the asparagus stalks. It should not cover them. Add about a teaspoon of salt, a teaspoon of sugar, and a tbl. of butter to the water. Bring to a low boil and add asparagus. Cook until fork-tender, 8-10 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool slightly. Cut into about 1" pieces when cool enough to handle.

Pour out any remaining cooking water from the skillet and return to the stove. Add juice from 1 lemon and a splash of pasta water. Bring to a low boil. Sprinkle with coarse salt and wisk in 1/2 stick of chilled butter until the butter melts and the sauce is creamy.

Toss pasta and asparagus pieces with the sauce and served topped with shaved parmesan cheese. Very tasty.

Monochromatic Delight!