INGREDIENTS:
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 3 slices thick-cut bacon, cut into ½-inch pieces
- 1 bunch scallions, trimmed and cut into ½-inch pieces (scant 1 cup)
- ¼ cup dry white wine
- 1 ¼ pounds asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1 ½-inch pieces
- 1 pound spaghetti
- ½ cup freshly chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
DIRECTIONS:
1. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil.
2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add bacon and cook until almost crisp, about 7 minutes. Add scallions (leaving bacon and fat in pan), sauté, stirring occasionally, until tender and beginning to brown in spots, about 4 more minutes. Add white wine and bring to a boil, scraping bottom of pan with a wooden spoon to dislodge any caramelized bits. Simmer for 1 minute, then remove from heat and set aside in a warm place.
3. When water boils, drop in asparagus and cook until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Transfer asparagus with a slotted spoon to a colander. Rinse with cold water and set aside to drain.
4. Return water in pot to a rapid boil and add pasta. Boil until al dente, stirring occasionally. Drain, reserving about ½ cup of pasta cooking water. Heat bacon and wine mixture over medium-high heat. Add drained pasta, asparagus, and a few tablespoons of the reserved pasta cooking water. Add parsley, lemon zest, cheese, and a generous amount of black pepper, and toss well. Season to taste with salt and more pepper. Serve in warm bowls, topping each with additional freshly ground black pepper and Parmesan, as desired.
SERVES 4
