Clodagh McKenna's conchiglie with asparagus, pancetta and chilli

A smoky Italian dish that will spice up your table

This is the perfect pasta dish for an easy summer supper, I also make it for lunch or if I am doing a buffet, as the recipe doubles up very well and you can serve it at room temperature too.

Conchiglie pasta have a shell-like shape that lets the sauce gather inside the pasta, making the bite extra tasty. Try the recipe with wholewheat pasta for a healthier version.

The smokey pancetta sautéed with fiery chilli and aromatic garlic is such a delicious base for the pasta — I love adding in delicious chopped fresh ripe tomatoes. This week I got my hands on the first Isle of Wight tomatoes — more than 40 different varieties, and the flavours are fabulous.

I love using the now-famed Wye Valley asparagus whenever I am cooking with the vegetable. It is grown by fourth-generation farmers, the Chinn family, in the Wye Valley, near Ross-on-Wye in Herefordshire. The light, sandy soil and south-facing slopes of the Wye Valley capture the earliest spring sunlight and create a microclimate perfect for producing some of the earliest and best asparagus in the UK.

The asparagus is hand-harvested and hydro-cooled within the hour to retain maximum freshness and flavour — you can find it in stores and supermarkets across London.

One of my favourite wines to pair with asparagus is a sancerre. Domaine Naudet has a pungent green-grass aroma and a crisp, fresh palate boasting citrus and asparagus notes.

Conchiglie with asparagus, pancetta and chilli

Serves: 4

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

  • 500g conchiglie pasta
  • 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 tbsp rapeseed oil   
  • 3 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 1 tbsp red chilli flakes 
  • 120g pancetta, finely diced
  • 12 asparagus spears
  • 2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, chopped
  • Sea salt  and freshly ground pepper

To serve

  • Freshly grated parmesan

Method

1. Cut off the woody ends of the asparagus and slice them into two-inch pieces so they’re about the same size as the pasta.

2. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil and add the pasta. Keep stirring for 30 seconds, this will stop the pasta from sticking together. Once the pasta is cooked, drain and set side, keep back three tablespoons of the pasta cooking water, which again will stop the pasta from sticking together.

3. Place a frying pan over a medium-high heat and add the rapeseed oil. When the oil is hot, sauté the garlic, chilli flakes and pancetta. Fry until the ingredients begin to sizzle and the pancetta becomes crispy.

4. Add a couple of tablespoons of the pasta water, along with the asparagus, and cook until the asparagus is al dente, about three minutes.

5. Finally, tip the contents of the frying pan into the cooked pasta and add the chopped parsley, tossing quickly to coat the pasta and warm it through. Serve immediately with freshly grated parmesan and an extra drizzle of oil.

Follow Clodagh on Instagram @clodagh_mckenna

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