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)