Asparagus week

Week 2 for the Ladies Who Lunch Club and it’s all about asparagus: pasta with prawns and asparagus and a frittata.

First things first: make the ricotta. Now, here’s a thing. I’ve always been impressed by the fact that Joe makes his own ricotta for his yummy ravioli. I am no longer quite so impressed. The following was for eight people, so can clearly be reduced.

Heat a gallon of milk to 185 degrees (note to self: buy cooking thermometer), take off the heat, add the juice of three lemons and 1/3 of a cup white vinegar, stir for a bit, let sit for a while to set the curds. Drain through three layers of cheesecloth, and voila!

Time to get a huge pan of water boiling for the pasta, marinade the prawns with lemon juice, olive oil, lemon zest and garlic and get chopping.

Lots of asparagus, lots of fresh herbs, and shallots finely sliced for the frittata, finely chopped for the pasta dish.

Sauté sliced shallots in butter with a bit of olive oil in a cast iron pan. Add asparagus. Beat a dozen eggs (again for eight people), add salt and pepper and tip in the ricotta. Add to frittata pan. Quick stir.

Leave alone for 8-10 minutes, before sprinkling with grated parmesan and fresh herbs. Pop under a medium grill for five minutes.

Elsewhere in the kitchen it’s all go on the pasta dish: sauté chopped shallots in butter and olive oil, add garlic paste (see last week), add asparagus, add prawns, add cherry tomato halves, add pasta, herbs, lemon zest and parmesan.

Pull frittata out of the oven.

Enjoy!

Oh, and PS: I did manage to get there on time this week. Having arranged for one of the group members to ring me at 9:30, I actually woke up before the alarm went off. First time was at 7:30, only five and a half hours after I went to sleep, second time was 9:15. Got to send a text saying no wake up call required. Bravo me.