Orecchiette pasta with asparagus and green peas

Ingredients:

• 450 gr. orecchiette pasta
• 1 tsp coarse salt + extra for pasta
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil + extra for drizzling
• 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 1 large bunch medium asparagus (about 450g), trimmed and cut into 2cm pieces.
• 280 g frozen green peas, defrosted (or fresh shelled peas)
• 1 bunch green onions, chopped (about 1 cup)
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1 cup grated Grana Padano cheese
• Pea tendrils, for decoration

Preparation:

1. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add olive oil to a large skillet and heat over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Add the asparagus and toss to coat with oil. Cook, stirring, until the asparagus begins to soften, about 5 minutes (add a little pasta water if the garlic starts to burn). Cover.
2. Uncover the asparagus and simultaneously add the pasta to the boiling water in the pan. Add the green peas to the asparagus and season with salt to taste. Stir and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the green onions, stir, and add 1.5 cups of the pasta water. Bring to a boil and cook until the liquid has reduced by about half, 3-4 minutes.
3. When the pasta is al dente, transfer it directly into the sauce with a slotted spoon. Add the parsley, drizzle with olive oil, and toss to coat the pasta, adding a little water if it looks dry. Remove the pan from the heat, sprinkle with grated cheese, toss, garnish with pea tendrils, and serve.