main dishes sardinian

Spaghetti Carbonara with Wild Asparagus

Rough spaghetti dressed with a wild-asparagus and egg-pecorino cream, no pancetta.

Vegetarian
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Prep 15 min
Cook 15 min
Total 30 min
Servings 4
Difficulty Medium

Ingredients

Pasta

Base

Cream

Seasoning

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Instructions

  1. Wipe the wild asparagus with a damp cloth and trim the woody bottom third of each spear.

  2. Blanch the tips in lightly salted water for three minutes. Drain, chop into short pieces, and set aside.

  3. In a wide pan, warm the olive oil with the crushed garlic over low heat until the garlic is golden. Remove the garlic.

  4. Add the chopped asparagus to the pan and cook gently for two to three minutes.

  5. Beat the eggs in a bowl until frothy. Stir in four tablespoons of the pecorino to make a thick cream.

  6. Cook the spaghetti in well-salted water until very al dente. Drain and add it to the asparagus pan.

  7. Take the pan off the heat. Pour the egg and pecorino cream over the pasta and toss quickly with a wooden fork, adding a splash of pasta water if the cream is too thick.

  8. Plate immediately. Finish with the remaining pecorino and a generous grind of black pepper.

Storage & Meal Prep

Serve it straight from the pan. The egg cream tightens as it sits, so this is not a pasta to reheat.

Interactive Nutrition Map

4 Servings

Customize Ingredients

Cheese
Pecorino Romano
150 g
Eggs
Egg (Large, Whole, Raw)
200 g
Vegetables
Asparagus
200 g
Garlic
3 g
Grains & Bread
Dried Pasta (Small)
320 g
Oils & Fats
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
27 g
Herbs & Spices
Black Pepper
2 g

Per Serving

585kcalCalories
30gProtein
64gCarbs
23gFat
4gFiber
Sodium
527mg23% DV
Potassium
392mg8% DV
Calcium
504mg39% DV
Iron
3.4mg19% DV
Magnesium
72mg17% DV
Vitamin C
3mg3% DV
Vitamin A
192µg21% DV
Vitamin K
26.6µg22% DV
Folate
68µg17% DV
Dried Pasta (Small)
Asparagus
Egg (Large, Whole, Raw)
Pecorino Romano
Garlic
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Black Pepper
* Nutrition is an estimate; actual values vary by ingredient brands and cooking methods. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

The Story Behind This Dish

In Sardinia, Spaghetti Carbonara with Wild Asparagus belongs on the Sardinian home table. I build it around spaghetti, wild asparagus, and eggs.

I wipe the wild asparagus with a damp cloth and trim the woody bottom third of each spear. I blanch the tips in lightly salted water for three minutes. I drain, chop into short pieces, and set aside.

I take the pan off the heat. I pour the egg and pecorino cream over the pasta and toss quickly with a wooden fork, adding a splash of pasta water if the cream is too thick. I plate immediately. I finish with the remaining pecorino and a generous grind of black pepper. I serve it as soon as the texture is right.

Part of: Sardinian Pasta Recipes

Related: The Sardinian Kitchen | Sardinian Ingredients Guide