Ingredients

20 green asparagus spears

8 slices Parma ham, prosciutto or Serrano ham†

1-1/2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1/2 red chile, sliced into rings

5 tablespoons olive oil

11 ounces linguine or spaghetti

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Peel the asparagus if necessary, then boil gently in a large pot salted water until al dente. Don’t overcook: The asparagus will continue to cook a bit when removed from the water and will be heated further in Step 4, below. Remove and slice diagonally.

Boil the pasta in salted water, but remove 2 minutes before the end of the standard cooking time.

Place the garlic, chile and olive oil in a frying pan, and heat gently over a low flame until the garlic has browned. Add the ham and the sliced asparagus, and heat gently.

Add about 3 tablespoons of the pasta boiling water to the oil in the pan, stir in the cooked pasta and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

Note & Tip

Adding the pasta boiling water at step 4 provides a mellow saltiness, increasing the flavor and improving the texture of the pasta. It is a good idea to add some cooking liquid to pasta dishes that do not have much sauce: It prevents the dish from being too dry.