Asparagus pesto pasta

Add the bread lemon zest & garlic to a blender and pulse into a crumb. Fry in a pan with a good glug of oil until crispy – set aside

Get the pasta cooking. In a separate pot of boiling water, blanch 2 bunches of asparagus for 2 mins and put in ice-cold water to cool.

Start cooking the sliced onions in oil until soft - season well. Add in the lemon zest, garlic and parsley. Simmer for a few more minutes.

In a blender whizz together the blanched asparagus, lemon juice, ricotta, 1/2 cup pesto and oil.

Slice the 3rd bunch of asparagus in half and then each half into thirds lengthways. Throw these into the onion mix and fry for 2-3 minutes, then add the peas.

Stir in the sauce so everything is well combined then add an extra dollop of pesto.
Drain the pasta, reserve about ½ a cup of the water and mix it with the sauce and pasta.

Stir through some rocket and whole basil leaves and serve immediately with the bread crumbs on top and a wedge of lemon if you like.