The weather’s still not great but I’m going to pretend it is and post this summery, lemony pasta anyway.

(how British am I, I just can’t stop talking about the weather. Somebody needs to get me a life)

I served this warm because I have no self control and couldn’t stop myself from digging in as soon as it was ready, but I bet it’d be nice cold too – more like a pasta salad. Perfect picnic food (as long as you’ve got somewhere to sit that’s a bit more pleasant than the parts of UK currently are).

You could throw any summery veg you like into this pasta – if I didn’t think peas were the devil’s creation I’d suggest them, and some sweetcorn would be nice too (but then I’d put sweetcorn in anything). I’m a little obsessed with asparagus when it’s in season so I couldn’t help myself, and mushrooms are a staple in my fridge. The pine nuts add a nice crunch, but you could skip them if you’re not a fan, or try something different. Just go fer it.

Ooh, don’t forget the feta either. Goat’s cheese would be good too.

Pinit

Creamy lemon pasta with asparagus, mushrooms and feta

Serves 2

180g pasta
1tbsp oil
100g asparagus
100g mushrooms, sliced
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
80g feta, roughly crumbled
3tbsp sour cream (I used light)
2tbsp fresh lemon juice
1tbsp pine nuts

Boil the pasta according to the packet’s instructions.

Meanwhile, slice the asparagus at an angle into 1 inch pieces. Heat the oil in a frying pan, and add the garlic, asparagus and sliced mushrooms. Cook over a medium-low heat for 5-10 minutes, until the mushrooms are soft and the asparagus is tender but still with a slight crunch.

When the pasta has cooked, drain it.

If you’re serving the dish as a cold salad, rinse the pasta in cold water and then set everything aside. Assemble eveything when cool. Otherwise, add the cooked vegetables to the drained pasta, along with the sour cream, feta and lemon juice. Stir well. Place the pan over a medium heat and stir continually for a few minutes to heat through, and serve topped with the pine nuts.