“Spaghetti with Asparagus Tips” For The First Day Of Spring!

We have “sprung ahead” for daylight saving time and now spring begins today March 20, 2015 at 6:45 pm EDT. The first day of spring, also known as the Vernal Equinox, is when the Sun crosses the equator from North to South signaling the beginning of our spring season in the Northern Hemisphere.

But, I don’t think Mother Nature has received the memo that winter is leaving us for another year. There is a cold snap and a snow storm on its way to blast us one last time. (I hope) Yet another round of snow is set to strike the Northeast with between three and six inches of snow expected to fall between West Virginia and Massachusetts. Everyone is dreaming of spring, temperatures rising, budding trees, flowers pushing through the earth, and the promise of new birth.

Many cultures celebrate spring festivals and holidays around the March Equinox, like Easter and Passover. Christians celebrate Easter during the spring season to glorify Christ’s resurrection and a metaphor for rebirth of nature or new life. Eggs are traditionally a symbol of fertility and growth. This is why Easter eggs are so popular at this time of the year.

According to folklore the first day of spring is the only time of the year that you can balance a raw egg on its end. The egg legend got its start in 1945 when a reporter for Life Magazine wrote a story about a Chinese ritual in which people stood eggs on its end the first day of spring. The truth is that you can balance a raw egg any other day of the year. The pull of gravity or the position of the Sun has nothing to do with it. But it is fun to try. I remember when my brothers and I were young, we tried to balance the eggs one first day of spring. But we had to balance them at the exact moment spring arrived. We would look at the clock and take our raw egg to the kitchen table and then try to balance it. Sometimes, all three of us would get real close, but then it would roll the other way. A few times they cracked and raw, gooey eggs would be on the table. Needless to say it really didn’t work, but the fun and laughter we had will be a memory that will last forever.

This year some people around the world will have the chance to experience a total Solar Eclipse, Supermoon, and the Spring Equinox all in one day. We in the United States will not be able to see a total eclipse. A much larger portion of the world gets to see varying degrees of a partial solar eclipse (Greenland, Iceland, Europe, Northern Africa, the Middle East and Northwestern Asia). The next time that the equinox will happen at the same time as a solar eclipse in 2053 and 2072, though it does not always appear as close together as that. If you would like more info on these experiences, there is a website that I always use called “Space Weather.” They are a wonderful website that shows photos of the Northern Lights as well as anything to do with weather in space, which really at times affects us on earth. Just click on Space Weather and the link will take you there. 

There are many things that spring time is known for. It is a prelude for summer to clean up your garden to get ready for planting and enjoying your backyard for relaxing in the warmer weather. There are many events and holidays that fall in Spring time, to name a few Major League Baseball starts, Spring fashions, Earth Day, Easter Sunday, Passover and of course Mother’s Day.

At this time of the year it seems that we all are getting tired of winter vegetables.  Some fruits and vegetables reach their peak in the spring. To name a few of my families favorites which are Artichokes, Asparagus, Fennel, and Beets. I have a recipe that I know you will love. It is a real favorite of my family. It is called “Spaghetti with Asparagus Tips.” Please try it as it is easy and very nutritious for you. Asparagus has a lot of vitamin K. I know that you will enjoy this recipe and make it a favorite in your house too. Asparagus grows wild, thin, and tall in Umbria, Italy. There are many favorite ways to prepare it, including grilled, marinated in salads, and combined with spaghetti. In this dish only the asparagus tips (punte) are used; save the slender stems to use in soups or sautéed with other vegetables.

“Spaghetti with Asparagus Tips” or “Spaghetti con Asparagi”

Serves: 6

Ingredients:
1/4 cup Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
2 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
2 pounds thin asparagus, trimmed, & tips cut 1-inch long
6 large plum tomatoes, peeled, & cut into small pieces
1/4 teaspoon plus 1 tablespoon fine sea salt
Freshly fresh black pepper
1 pound spaghetti
1/4 cup reserved cooking water
1/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese plus extra for sprinkling on top

Directions:
Heat the olive oil in a sauté pan large enough to accommodate the cooked spaghetti (at least 12-inches in diameter). Stir in the garlic and asparagus and cook until they begin to brown slightly. Stir in the tomatoes, 1/4 teaspoon of the salt, and pepper, lower the heat, and cover the pan and cook the mixture for 5 minutes or just until a knife is easily inserted into the asparagus tips. Keep the sauce warm while the spaghetti is cooking. Bring 4 to 6 quarts of water to a boil in a pasta pot. Stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon of salt and spaghetti. Cook until the spaghetti is al dente, firm but cooked through. Drain the spaghetti, reserving 1/4 cup of the cooking water. Add the water and spaghetti to the pan with the asparagus sauce. Over medium heat, reheat the mixture, stirring quickly to blend all the ingredients. Sprinkle the cheese over the top and stir in. Transfer the spaghetti and asparagus sauce to a platter and serve immediately. Pass extra cheese for sprinkling on top. Enjoy & Happy Spring!


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Ciao a tutti, I know that my readers have heard of my personal friend Micheal Castaldo. I have written about Micheal before on my blog posts. He is an Award-winning song writer/producer, recording artist, composer, Italian Cultural Ambassador, and entrepreneur. Micheal is very proud and excited to announce his radio tour. All these radio programs and DJ personalities (in the poster below) will share his new digi single, "Everything Happens For a Reason." Please follow Micheal on this tour and hear some behind the scenes stories. He will reveal one unique story for every show, so stay tuned to hear the story unfold. There will be more radio interviews set up during the month of April and will create a new flyer to include those dates/times etc. Micheal thanks all of his fans for their awesome support and love.  www.michealcastaldo.com  

 

***** An add on WROC at 9am EST on 3/22 With Michael Moran and “The Italian Carousel” with Joe Capogreco


 
Recipe taken from “Ciao Italia” 

Till Next Time……………….

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