Bring a large pot of salt water to boil. There are tall, narrow pots specially designed for boiling asparagus. Alternatively, choose a pot wide enough to accommodate the asparagus lengthways. While the water begins to boil, wash and peel the asparagus, carefully peeling up to about three quarters of the stem with a potato peeler.

Boil the asparagus for 9-10 minutes, then gently drain and let cool. Boil the eggs for 4′, peel and cut them in half, placing them next to the asparagus. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, salt and ground pepper and serve.

*extra tip: boil the eggs for an additional 2 minutes, then roughly chop them with a knife and sprinkle them over the asparagus. You can also set aside a few fresh raw tips; mince them and arrange them together with the eggs for a pleasant crunchy effect.

Green asparagus
Fresh eggs
Olive oil
Salt and pepper to desire

With these ingredients, you can also prepare a fresh, classic spring salad. Gently wash the asparagus, roughly chop the tips into small pieces and then slice the remaining peeled stems. Boil the eggs for no more than 5′, then peel and cut them into pieces.

Then mix together the leaf salad, asparagus, toasted pine nuts, and parmesan flakes; garnish with eggs and season with oil, salt, pepper and a touch of balsamic vinegar.

*extra tip: serve this salad at an Spring picnic, it will bring joy and a gourmet touch!

Mixed spring leaf salad (green and red leaf lettuce, soncino, rocket)
Boiled eggs
Parmesan flakes
Green asparagus
Rousted pine nuts
Oil, salt, pepper, balsamic vinegar

For the base of the asparagus risotto, finely chop and lightly sauté the onion. Meanwhile, peel the lower half of the asparagus stems with a potato peeler. Do this gently, removing only the superficial “skin”. Then cut the stems into chunks, leaving the heads whole. Wash the heads with fresh water and set aside.

Add the sliced asparagus pieces to the onions and steam them, adding a generous pinch of salt and, if necessary, a ladle of vegetable broth. Toast the rice directly in a risotto pot, stirring frequently so that it gets nice and hot. Deglaze with white wine, gradually adding the hot broth. After about 7 minutes, add the steamed asparagus and the fresh tips to the rice. Continue adding broth and stir until the rice is cooked. Add salt and pepper, adjusting to the desired taste.

Remove the pot from the stove; add a walnut-sized slice of butter, a handful of Grana Padano (parmesan) and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil, bringing the surface of the rice to shine. Stir vigorously to mix in the air so that the risotto becomes nice and creamy, otherwise known as the mantecatura effect.

*extra tip: puree some of the steamed asparagus with a mixer and add it just before stirring the final preparation. It will make your risotto creamier, brighter in color and tastier!

360g of Carnaroli (risotto rice)
1 onion
100ml white wine
1kg of green asparagus
Vegetable broth
Salt and pepper to taste
Butter, olive oil, Grana Padano (parmesan) to stir the cream

Wash and cut the asparagus leaving about 10/15 cm of stem. Boil them in salted water for 8 minutes, then immerse them in ice-cold water for a few seconds until cool and then dab them with a cloth to dry.

Meanwhile, mix the breadcrumbs, adding chopped parsley and a generous pinch of salt and pepper. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites with a fork until frothy but not whipped. Then dip the asparagus, first in the egg and then the breadcrumbs. Finally, fry them in plenty of boiling oil until golden, then drain, salt and serve hot and crispy.

*extra tip: prepare a homemade mayonnaise to accompany the crispy tips for a guaranteed success!

500g green asparagus
3 egg whites
200g breadcrumbs
100g chopped parsley
Salt and pepper as desired
Oil for frying