Spring tomato and grilled asparagus pasta- Spring Recipe Competition entry

This recipe is one of the main inspirations behind my blog. My good friend Zo organised the Spring Recipe Competition through her amazing blog Two Spoons. After entering, and consequently winning, I woke up to the potential of food blogs and the audience you can reach. I hope that others will be encouraged to share their recipes, experiences or comments.

This simple and delicious recipe is perfect for those with limited time and cooking abilities. It incorporates local produce that can be easily purchased on a sunny Spring Saturday morning from the Christchurch Farmers Market.

Spring tomato and grilled asparagus pasta

Serves 3-4

1 bunch of baby asparagus (from Christchurch Farmers Market) – Broadfield
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
250g Penne pasta
5 medium tomatoes (from Christchurch Farmers Market) – Milly Satchel
5 tsp extra virgin olive oil + 2 tsp balsamic vinegar, whisked
3 cloves smoked garlic, sliced (from Christchurch Farmers Market) – The Original Smoke and Spice Co
2 pinches chilli flakes or more- depending on how much spice you like!
Italian parsley, finely chopped

Parboil asparagus for 5 minutes
Heat 1tsp oil in a griddle pan (or similar) and grill asparagus on high for approx. 5 minutes.
Bring salted water to the boil, add pasta and cook for 12 minutes, then drain.
Cut tomatoes into 1/8ths
Fry sliced smoked garlic in a dash of extra virgin olive oil until lightly browned
Place all ingredients in a bowl and toss until lightly coated
Top with shavings of parmesan cheese if desired
Easy as that!