Gennaro Contaldo’s asparagus carbonara

Method

1. Remove and reserve the woody stems from the asparagus, then finely chop the remaining stems, keeping the asparagus tips intact.
2. Put a large pan of salted water over a high heat and add the woody stems. When the water starts to boil, lift out and discard the stems, then add the linguine and cook until al dente (with bite).
3. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat, add the pancetta and cook for 2-3 minutes until it begins to colour. Stir in the asparagus stems and tips and stir-fry for about 3 minutes until cooked.
4. In a bowl, lightly beat the egg yolks, then stir in a little black pepper and the pecorino. Drain the cooked linguine (reserving a cup of pasta water) and add to the frying pan. Mix the pasta, pancetta and asparagus together well, adding a splash of the hot pasta water to bind. Remove from the heat and quickly stir in the egg mixture until everything is well combined and silky. Serve immediately with extra black pepper and grated pecorino.