Pappardelle with Lemon, Asparagus, and Parmigiano-Reggiano with Poached Eggs

Pappardelle are hand-cut large pasta ribbons traditionally served with creamy or rustic sauces. The pasta’s name comes from the Italian verb ‘pappare’ which means “to gobble up.” Here is a restaurant trick to make poached eggs in advance. Simply poach your eggs just until the whites are barely set and place directly into an ice bath to stop the cooking process. You can use the same bowl of ice water as for asparagus. When you’re ready to use the eggs, warm them in a simmering pot of water for about a minute and they’re ready to serve. Eggs can be poached and chilled up to 2 days before serving.

Ingredients

• 1 bunch thin asparagus, trimmed and cut crosswise at a 45° angle into 1-inch pieces
• 1 recipe Fresh Pasta Dough, rolled into thin sheets (2n d to the last thinnest setting on pasta machine), hand-cut into pappardelle, dusted with semolina flour, and covered with plastic wrap
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
• 2 tablespoons lemon zest
• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced fresh basil
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 4 large eggs, poached
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

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Directions

1. To steam the asparagus: To a steamer set over boiling water, add asparagus, cover, and steam until tender, about 3 minutes. Transfer the asparagus to a colander to drain and place in a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Drain and set aside.
2. To cook the pasta: To a large pot set over high heat, bring water to a boil. Generously season water with salt. Add pasta and stir immediately to prevent it from sticking together. Cook until al dente, 2 to 3 minutes. Reserve about a cup of pasta water and drain pasta through a colander.
3. To make the sauce: To a skillet set over medium-low heat, melt butter. Stir in the lemon zest, juice, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add the hot pasta and asparagus to the sauce and cook, gently tossing the pasta until coated with sauce. If the pasta looks dry, add just enough of the reserved pasta water to achieve a saucy consistency. Add basil and parsley and toss thoroughly. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and generously season with black pepper.
4. To serve: Transfer pasta to 4 warmed pasta bowls, top each portion with a warmed poached egg, and garnish with grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.