Description
A simple and elegant pasta dish featuring tender asparagus sautéed with garlic and tossed in a creamy Parmesan and egg yolk sauce, perfect for a quick and satisfying 30-minute meal.
Ingredients
Vegetables
- 1 lb thin asparagus, cut into 2" pieces (tough ends trimmed)
Pasta
- 6 oz uncooked pasta (such as spaghetti or gluten-free pasta)
Other Ingredients
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed
- Kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper, to taste
- 1 large egg yolk
- ¼ cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, freshly grated
Instructions
- Boil Asparagus: In a large pot, bring 4 cups of salted water to a boil. Add the asparagus pieces and cook for 3-5 minutes until they are tender-crisp. Remove them with a slotted spoon and drain in a colander.
- Cook Pasta: Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Before draining, reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water.
- Sauté Garlic and Asparagus: While the pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the crushed garlic and cook until golden, then add the cooked asparagus, season with salt and pepper, and sauté for 1-2 minutes, tossing to coat with the garlic and oil.
- Prepare Sauce Mixture: In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolk, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, ¼ cup of the reserved pasta water, and salt and pepper to taste until well combined.
- Toss Pasta with Sauce: After draining the pasta, return it to the pot. Pour in the egg and cheese mixture and cook over medium-low heat for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens and clings to the pasta.
- Add Asparagus: Toss in the sautéed asparagus and mix well to combine. Adjust salt and pepper according to taste.
- Adjust Consistency: If the pasta seems too dry, add more reserved pasta water a tablespoon at a time until desired creaminess is reached.
- Serve: Plate the pasta and serve with additional freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese on top.
Notes
- Make sure to reserve pasta cooking water as it helps create a silky sauce.
- Use fresh, thin asparagus for best results; thicker stalks may require longer cooking.
- Cook pasta al dente to maintain texture when tossed in sauce.
- Stir the pasta continuously when adding the egg and cheese mixture to prevent scrambling the egg.
- Gluten-free pasta can be used as a substitute to make this dish gluten-free.
