Recipe: Warm Asparagus Pesto Salad

Ingredients (to serve 2 as main or 4 as side dish)

10-15 asparagus spears (ends trimmed, halved)

2-3 Baby Red Potatoes

2 handfuls of dry pasta (shells, tubini, whatever)

3-4 Small Tomatoes on the Vine

2 tablespoons of fresh pesto (I just bought a jar from refridgerated section in supermarket)

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Handful of argula/mixed greens (optional)

1 tablespoon of parmesan cheese flakes

1. Cut the baby red potatoes into small pieces - you can be healthy and boil or if you're feeling indulgent, roast them. If roasting, pre-heat oven to 350F - cover with extra virgin olive oil, season with salt, pepper and mixed italian herbs if you have them. Should be done in 30-40 minutes. Check half-way through the cooking to give the potatoes a stir.

2. When the potatoes have about 15 mins cooking to go, start cooking the pasta shapes. I always add a tad of extra virgin olive oil and a pinch of salt to the rolling boil before adding in the pasta. When the pasta has a few more minutes to go, blanch the asparagus spears. To cut down on washing up, I just add the asparagus to the pasta that is cooking. Only needs about 2-3 minutes - just use chopsticks to fish the asparagus out.

3. Cut the tomatoes in quarter-sized pieces (no need to cook). Drain the pasta. Once all the ingredients are ready, mix the asparagus, tomatoes, potatoes, mixed greens (if you want) and pasta with the pesto and balsamic vinegar. Sprinkle with the parmesan cheese. Serve!

*Note: In the pic, I have forgotten to add the parmesan cheese...*