Texel has the tastiest, most natural produce, as food writer Annette van Ruitenburg well knows. The second edition of her cookery book De Smaak van Texel, created in collaboration with photographer Ruth de Ruwe and writer Tanja van den Berge, has just been published. Every month, Annette invites us into her Texel kitchen to try out one of her recipes.

Pasta with Texel asparagus and lamb ham

Asparagus season is here again, which means life at the farm of the Keijser family on Texel is very hectic. Seven days a week, they are in the fields harvesting this white gold. Add it to pasta and Texel lamb ham and you have a mouth-watering dish.

Ingredients

• 500g (thin) white asparagus spears
• 400g Texel pasta
• 400g cooked Texel (lamb) ham, cubed
• 100g Texel sheep’s cheese or Parmesan cheese
• 200g rocket or samphire
• 100g pitted black olives, sliced
• 2dl olive oil
• 1 clove of garlic, finely chopped or crushed
• 1 small jar of tomatoes in water or oil
• Pepper
• Small pinch of salt (optional)

Method

Trim the asparagus and peel. Cut the spears into thirds, then cook them in boiling water for 3 minutes. Rinse them in cold water, blot them dry and place them next to each other on a baking tray.

Mix the olive oil with the garlic and cubes of lamb ham and pour this mixture over the asparagus. Bake in the middle of the oven for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, boil the Texel pasta. After baking, sprinkle the asparagus with the olives, tomatoes, rocket, salt (optional) and pepper. Finally, sprinkle with the coarsely grated cheese and voilà, your dish is ready.

Bon appétit!

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