Dramatic bluffs. Gingerbread cottages. Chirping shorebirds. These were the sights I soaked up when biking through Martha’s Vineyard a few springs ago. But only one thing made me do a double take on my scary-fast e-bike: wild asparagus. Sprinkled along the trail were thin, green-purple stalks shooting towards the sky, practically begging to be picked. They were a natural indicator that spring—and along with it, asparagus season—had sprung.

But the season is short. We’re working against the clock. Those fresh flavors—grassy, earthy, subtly sweet and pleasantly bitter—only stick around through June. (And to get real specific: Peak freshness dwindles by late May.) Our solution? Turn to fast and simple recipes that scream spring, like our eight-ingredientFettuccine with Asparagus, Lemon and Prosciutto.

In just 35 minutes, you’ll get a creamy bowl of pasta where asparagus gets the spotlight and lemon, cream and prosciutto clinch outstanding supporting roles. The trick for quickness? We cook the asparagus with fresh fettuccine in the same pot of boiling water. It works wonders for busy weeknights but is impressive enough for weekend guests.

Buy too much asparagus at the store? Cook your way through our collection of springy asparagus recipes.

How to cook and store asparagus

Fresh asparagus is, obviously, the star of the show. Luckily, it’s near impossible to find a bad bunch at the farmers market or produce aisle this time of year. Gone away are sad, limp stalks and mushy tops. In their place are beautiful green spears, mottled with purple flecks and happy (dry) florets. They’ll be grassy, earthy and subtly sweet. Bitter and woody notes are left in the rearview. For this recipe, look for thicker-than-pencil-sized spears so they’ll evenly cook with the fettuccine later on.

I treat fresh-harvested asparagus like a ticking time bomb—if I don’t cook or properly store them within a few days, they’ll explode. I can’t let that happen. Trim the ends and submerge upright in a jar of water. I do the same with carrots, celery and herbs like cilantro and dill. This should double the lifespan.

How to prep asparagus

Snap. Snap. Snap. Trimming asparagus is one of my favorite forms of prep. It’s one of the few veggies that does the hard work for you: Simply bend the stalks and they’ll naturally break above the fibrous bottoms. (Rethink discarding the scraps, I keep them for vegetable stocks.) Don’t forget to bias cut—meaning cut at a diagonal angle—the spears into 2-inch pieces so they cook through evenly and look pretty when plating.

It’s worth freshly grating Parmesan (read: real DOP Parmiagiano-Reggiano), even if it adds a few extra minutes of prep. This allows for a cohesive melt and sharper flavors in the cream sauce. The pre-packaged stuff is gritty, and coated in cellulose and anti-caking agents. Use the fine holes of a box grater, or if you’re on a time crunch, cut up some chunks and grind them in a food processor. This prep step also works in our Cacio e Pepe.

Keep an eye on those shallots

There is a time and place for caramelized alliums. This recipe is not one of those instances. You want all of those subtle flavors—from the grassy asparagus to the zingy lemon zest—to get their time to shine. Caramelized shallots, with their deep sweet-savory notes, would overpower everything. To ensure the best balance of flavors, don’t walk away from the pan when cooking the shallots. Add a few pats of butter and sauté the minced shallots, killing the heat once they turn translucent.

We do, however, have plenty of recipes where you can caramelize onions to your heart’s content, like our Romanian Caramelized Onion “Hummus”and Tomato-Rice Soup with Caramelized Onion.

The holy (emulsion) trinity

Heavy cream + starchy pasta water + lemon juice = emulsification heaven. Need an emulsion refresher? It’s when natural binding agents—like our trio here—force fat/oil and liquid to hold hands and form a creamy sauce that clings to the noodles. They impart unique flavors and textures, too.

The starches on the surface of the salted pasta water expand and burst, thickening the surrounding liquid and bringing everything together. And that last squeeze of lemon juice? The acid causes casein proteins in the cream to lightly coagulate, resulting in a perfect silky texture.

Proof is in the prosciutto

I’m heavy-handed with seasoning. Give me a jar of curry or five-spice powder and I’ll find a way to empty it in a week. So I balked at list of only eight ingredients, which includes (what I consider to be) a smidge of salt and pepper. But trust the process.

The crisp asparagus, glossy sauce and al dente fettuccine are a near-perfect combo. But delicate ribbons of prosciutto? It’s the missing piece of the puzzle. The salty cured meat uplifts those grassy, bright and creamy notes. Thinly shred the prosciutto with your fingers and strategically place them around the plate to get a piece in every bite. It’s in my nature to add extra cracks of pepper.

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Francesca Furey

Francesca Furey is the Commerce Editor at Milk Street. A writer passionate about the intersections of gastronomy and culture, she edits and produces content for the Milk Street Store, blog and more.