Ravioli Pesto with White Asparagus and Creamy Asparagus Sauce

• Ravioli Pesto – 12 pieces
• White asparagus – 2 pieces
• Cherry tomatoes – 3 pieces
• Grated Parmesan – 25 g
• Flat-leaf parsley – 5 g
• Fried pancetta – 40 g, optional
• Olive oil – 1 tsp
• Balsamic vinegar – ½ tsp
• Salt and pepper

For the creamy asparagus sauce

• Asparagus trimmings – 40 g
• Shallot – ½ small
• Garlic – ½ clove
• Cream – 60 ml
• Chicken stock – 60 ml
• Butter – 10 g
• Fresh thyme – 1 sprig, optional

1. Gently sauté the finely chopped shallot and garlic in half of the butter and the olive oil without browning. Add the asparagus trimmings and cook for a few more minutes.
2. Add the cream, chicken stock and, if desired, the thyme. Simmer gently for about 15 minutes until slightly reduced. Blend the sauce, pass it through a sieve if desired, and finish with the remaining butter. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Mix the finely chopped parsley with the grated Parmesan.
4. Cut each asparagus spear into three pieces and cook until tender but still slightly firm. Fry the pancetta until crisp.
5. Cut the cherry tomatoes in half and toss them with the balsamic vinegar, a little olive oil, salt and pepper. Heat the tomatoes, asparagus and pancetta for about 6 minutes in an oven at 180 °C.
6. Heat the Ravioli Pesto for 3 minutes in lightly salted boiling water. Meanwhile, heat the creamy asparagus sauce.
7. Gently toss the ravioli with the sauce. Arrange on a warm plate and finish with the asparagus, cherry tomatoes, pancetta and the Parmesan-parsley mixture.

TIP: Outside asparagus season, you can replace the white asparagus with peeled black salsify. Use it in the same way in the recipe, but do not use the peel in the sauce.