Linguine with Squid, Asparagus and Bottarga

Method

1. Clean the baby squid: remove the internal bone and innards, cut the tentacles into pieces.
2. Prepare the asparagus: trim the woody ends and cut the stalks into rounds, keeping the tips whole (halve if thick).
3. In a large pan, heat olive oil and add peeled fresh garlic cloves. Sauté gently until fragrant.
4. Add the asparagus stalks (not the tips) and cook for a couple of minutes. Add a ladle of pasta water to help cook them.
5. Add the cleaned squid and cook briefly. Season with salt and dried chili pepper to taste.
6. Add a splash of white wine and let it evaporate.
7. Meanwhile, cook the linguine in salted boiling water until very al dente (about 1-2 minutes less than package directions).
8. When the pasta is ready, drain and transfer to the pan with the squid and asparagus. Add a little pasta water to finish cooking together, stirring to create a creamy sauce.
9. Add the asparagus tips and continue to cook for another minute until they are just tender but still crunchy.
10. Remove from heat and grate fresh bottarga over the pasta. Toss gently.
11. Serve immediately, optionally with an extra grating of bottarga on top.