Tagliatelle with Asparagus and Parma Ham

Cook the pasta in salted boiling water until al dente. Before draining, reserve a cup of the pasta water to finish the dish.

Peel the white asparagus and trim off the woody ends. Do not peel the green asparagus, just trim the leaves from its stalks. Tie the white and green asparagus separately into bundles with kitchen twine. Bring water to a boil in a narrow, tall pot. Stand the asparagus upright in the pot: cook green asparagus for 5 minutes, white asparagus for 8 minutes. Then drain and rinse with ice water.

Heat butter with olive oil in a pan. Cut the cooked asparagus into thirds, add to the pan, and sauté lightly. Then add the tagliatelle and a little of the reserved pasta water to the pan and stir for a while.