What I Didn’t Bake for Easter and Spaghetti with Shaved Asparagus

I had great plans for Easter. I was going to bake one of those ridiculously sweet, fluffy coconut layer cakes to herald the arrival of spring. But, I’ve been felled by a wicked sinus infection. You know what they say about the best laid plans of mice, men and bakers. At this point, my only responsibility for Easter dinner is to show up, which is not the worst thing in the world, given how I’ve felt the past few days.

Clearly, I am in need of the restorative powers of the season. While it’s not exactly a coconut cake, Spaghetti with Shaved Asparagus, found in the April issue of Everyday Food, is a bright and invigorating harbinger of spring. “The Field Guide to Produce” says asparagus is a perennial plant in the lily family (there’s an Easter connection already!) and wild asparagus was prized by the ancient Greeks and Egyptians as a seasonal delicacy.

I used thin, wholegrain spaghetti to give the dish a nuttier flavor. The asparagus is shaved into strips with a vegetable peeler, so it takes almost no time to cook and is simply added to the pasta pot just before draining the hot water. The asparagus shavings retain a crisp and vigorous, just-picked flavor. The spaghetti and asparagus shavings are tossed with lemon zest and salty-tart shavings of parmesan cheese.

Asparagus spears grow underground. The tender green and violet shoots peak out of the ground in early spring, and are harvested by hand for about 6 to 8 weeks.

With any luck, I may just be about ready to peak out from under the covers today, myself.

Happy Easter and Happy Spring!

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