The FatSteak Club

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Asparagus fonduta

I love asparagus season. Such a wonderful flavour and texture and a great pairing with a poached egg. So how to “FatSteakClub” such an ingredient? Add more eggs, some cheese and you have a rich pasta sauce that can only be improved by throwing in some pancetta (optional of course!). This recipe reaches into the wonderful egg-based book: Egg by Blanche Vaughan. A fonduta is essentially a cheesy custard, and makes a wonderful silky sauce.
 

Step 1 - Fonduta

  • Set up a bain-marie (a heatproof bowl over a simmering pan of water) and smear the inside of the bowl with the cut garlic

  • Add the egg yolks, creme fraiche and Parmesan to the bowl and season to taste

  • Gently whisk the mixture. It should start to combine and eventually thickens to a custard-like consistency

  • Set to one side once at the right consistency while you complete the dish

 

Step 2 - Finish the dish

  • Gently fry the pancetta until golden

  • While the sauce is thickening, boil the fresh pasta along with the asparagus in plenty of water (2-3 minutes)

  • Drain the pasta and asparagus, reserving a mug of the cooking water, then return to the warm pan along with the pancetta

  • Over the a medium heat, toss in the fonduta along with the cooking water until the consistency is creamy and everything is coated

  • Serve in warm bowls with a sprinkle of extra Parmesan

 

 Ingredients

  • 1 clove of garlic

  • 4 egg yolks

  • 200g creme fraiche

  • 100g grated Parmesan

  • 200g asparagus sliced diagonally into 2-3cm pieces

  • 300g fresh pasta (or better still, make your own using the method here: https://www.thefatsteak.club/blog/shin-ragu)