Farfalle con salmone affumicato e punte di asparagi

The food has to tantalize all your senses, sight included. I love how the green of the asparagus pairs with the pink of the salmon. It's a great combination that I want to explore further: I am working on a salmon/asparagus quiche that I will be posting soon...



Bow ties with smoked salmon e asparagus.

A box of farfalle (bow ties)
100 gr of smoked salmon
10 fresh asparagus
1/4 cup of Italian-style cream like Giglio brand, e.g. (panna da cucina). If you cannot find it, use heavy whipping cream, or plain yogurt)
one leak (ore a large scallion)
1/3 cup of dry vodka or brandy

Cook the pasta al dente in abundant salted water. While you are waiting for the water to boil, focus on the sauce.
Clean the asparagus under running water and cut away the hard ends. Cut away the tips and chopp the remaining stems in small pieces.
Cut and chop the white part of the leak and sauté in a large frying pan with a 1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil. The leak has to become soft and golden, but not brown (they would taste bitter).
Add the asparagus (both tips and chopped stems), cover and cook for five minutes. Remove the lid and add the coarsely chopped salmon (you do no want too small pieces or they will stand out in the finished plate...). Add the vodka (the heat should be high) and simmer until evaporated (sfumare).
When the salmon will be homogeneously turned to a paler shade of pink turn down the heat, add the cream and sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper. Let all the flavors merge for about one minute and then turn the heat off.
When the pasta will be cooked and drained pour it in the pan with the sauce and re-heat briefly while mixing. This procedure is called 'tirare' the pasta (to pull pasta) and it's critical to connect the pasta with the sauce flavors plus it will keep the pasta warm for a longer time.
Enjoy!

Wine: a white wine with some personality, like a Gewurztraminer from Trentino: a delicate wine would be whipped out but the strong taste of the smoked salmon. A dry sparkling wine (like a Champagne, a Prosecco from Veneto or a spumante Brut from Trentino) would also work well: the bubbling will 'clear up' the fat component of salmon. Try a sparkling Italian dry rosé, like Incanto, Raboso frizzante del Veneto (Trader Joes).
TIP: Champagne, Prosecco and Cava are perfect also for fried see food.