Asparagus with pangrattato

When new season asparagus hits the shelves I celebrate with this dish – simple steamed spears, with a crunchy topping of breadcrumbs that have been fried in olive oil and tossed with chilli and parsley. Finish it off with a generous shower of parmesan and you have a complete meal. 

Serves one

YOU WILL NEED

• 1 bunch asparagus
• 2TB extra virgin olive oil
• ½ cup fresh breadcrumbs, made from stale bread
• Pinch of dried red chilli flakes
• Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped
• ¼ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
• Zest from 1 lemon
• Freshly grated parmesan, to serve

Method

In a pan, heat olive oil to medium-hot, but not smoking. Add the breadcrumbs, chilli flakes and a sprinkle of sea salt and sauté for about 5 minutes, keeping the breadcrumbs moving so that they turn a gorgeous golden colour. Add garlic and cook for another minute, toss in the parsley and remove from the heat, then stir through lemon zest. Season with pepper and a little more sea salt to taste. Set aside while you cook the asparagus.

Put a small amount of salted water in a saucepan and bring it to the boil. Snap or cut the tough ends off each asparagus spear. Drop them in the pot, put the lid on, simmer for 4-5 minutes. You want them cooked to soft but still holding their shape and this will depend on how thick your spears are.

Drain. Add lemon juice, sea salt and pepper and a splash of olive oil to the pot. Toss and serve, topped with pangrattato and a liberal amount of parmesan.