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Cream of asparagus and scampi noodles

Ingredients for 4
400gr. thin noodles
300gr. asparagus washed and boiled in salt water
500gr. raw peeled scampi
1 dl. olive oil
1 small hot chilli
1 ripe tomato, skinned and cut into small cubes
5 chopped basil leaves
1 small glass of dry white wine
Salt and pepper

Place the tips and green stalks only of the asparagus in the liquidizer (discarding the tough white part) to obtain a smooth green sauce; adjust seasoning. In another pan, heat the garlic in the olive oil; when the garlic is golden, add the finely-chopped scampi, the parsley, tomato and basil, pour over the wine and leave to cook for a minute or so. Drain off the noodles, which have been cooking in the salt water on one side, and mix them in a pan with the sauce on a high flame. Serve the noodles on a flat plate covered with the asparagus sauce, leaving a green rim of sauce all around the outer edge. Serve hot.

Fausto Monti