As season approaches, asparagus slowly works its way into dishes

Our asparagus is sprouting nicely. The first few shoots I harvest, steam and drape artfully over some chicken or rice, and we eat them appreciatively, savoring each one. It isn’t until we have been eating a big pile of stalks three or four times a week that I finally start chopping them up and using them in risotto, quiche or in a pasta sauce.

We have had good luck with freezing them, both cut into small pieces and left long, blanched, and frozen on cookie sheets. When they are solid, I put them into zipper-closed bags. They taste pretty good in winter, and I think they have more nutrients left in them than the so-called fresh ones in the store that have traveled many miles to be sold in November.

The way of fixing asparagus in the recipe below is pretty adaptable to whatever pasta size and shape you like (or have). You can chop the asparagus small or leave it a bit larger. You can use low-fat ricotta or whole milk. I like grating my own parmesan but this recipe calls for quite a bit and you might not prefer to do that. I like adding a few chopped, pitted Kalamata olives.

With salad, this can be a meal by itself, or a side dish to accompany chicken or fish.

Send queries or answers to Sandy Oliver, 1061 Main Road, Islesboro 04848. E-mail: tastebuds@prexar.com. For recipes, tell us where they came from. List ingredients, specify number of servings and do not abbreviate measurements. Include name, address and daytime phone number.

Pasta and Asparagus

Serves 4 as a main dish, six as a side dish.

16 ounces pasta (farfalle, penne, rotini)

1 large shallot, minced

2 tablespoons olive oil or half butter/, half live oil

1 pound asparagus

1/4 cup coarsely chopped, pitted Kalamata olives

12 ounces ricotta (or more to taste)

1/2 cup grated parmesan and more to serve at table

salt and pepper

Cook the pasta according to the directions on the package. Meanwhile, cut or break the asparagus into the desired lengths. In large heavy pan, saute the shallots in the olive oil just until they are soft, and then add the asparagus and saute it until it is bright green. Drain the pasta when it is done, and put into a large serving bowl, add the ricotta, and toss until the ricotta is mixed evenly with the pasta. Then add the asparagus, parmesan, salt and pepper, and fold in or if you prefer, serve it with the asparagus on top. If the ricotta and pasta mixture needs to be moister drizzle in a little cream or even a little of reserved cooking water from the pasta.

Serve with additional parmesan.