Since it’s asparagus season in Oregon (and elsewhere), it is on every menu in every imaginable combination, from soups to — yes, folks … ice cream. Now, that was at a friend’s house, but still, you get the picture.
Asparagus is a great vegetable; versatile, easy to cook, can be served hot or cold, and can be prepared all fancy and elegant or rustic and simple. Rustic and simple is how I roll, and this pasta dish is a breeze.
This recipe was born from a recent “I have 20 minutes to make a decent meal” moment. It was, quite honestly, going through the fridge and giving it my best shot. Having a pound of beautiful asparagus saved the day.
This pasta is medicated with a canna-olive oil that I infused with the strain Berry White. I smoked a joint of it a few weeks back and loved it. It totally de-stressed me, and the high lasted a long time. I was doing some writing and this weed helped me focus, and I thought it made me pretty hilarious too, if I do say so myself. I think I say this a lot, but for a long time weed didn’t make me laugh or have fun the way it did years ago, and I love that things are different now. Anyway, I made oil with an ounce of Berry White shake, and it didn’t let me down. Enjoy.
Orecchiette (or any pasta) with asparagus
Serves 4
1 lb. asparagus, trimmed and cut in 1-inch pieces
1 bunch scallions, cut in pieces
½ pint cherry tomatoes, halved
4 strips bacon, cut in pieces
1 cup bread cubes
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 lb. pasta, any style, I used orecchiette
3 tablespoons canna-olive oil
Crushed red pepper flakes
Directions
Heat oven to 425 degrees
1. Place the asparagus, scallions, tomatoes, bacon and bread cubes on the baking pan. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss with 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil.
2. Bake until the asparagus is tender, about 10-15 minutes, stirring a couple of times. The bread cubes will have turned golden brown and the bacon has cooked but is not super crisp. Remove the pan from the oven and set aside.
3. Cook the pasta according to the directions on the package. As soon as it’s done, drain and toss everything together, adding the canna-olive oil and a little plain olive oil if still too dry. There should be plenty of juices from the roasted vegetables and bacon. Taste for salt and pepper and adjust. Sprinkle with the red pepper flakes and serve.
More Kitchen Kush: What else do you feel like making? We’ve got the recipes sorted,
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