Finalmente Primavera (Finally Spring!)

Recipe by Chef Josh Toney of Cenacolo Restaurant. As featured in Edible Allegheny's March 2014 installment of Three Ingredient Fix.
Photography By | March 01, 2014

Ingredients

SERVINGS: 2 Servings
  • 4 ounces tagliolini pasta (can substitute any long-cut pasta)
  • 2 teaspoons white vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • ½ ounce speck, sliced thin, then julienned (can substitute prosciutto or bacon)
  • 4 cloves garlic, sliced thin
  • ½ cup asparagus, cut into bite-sized pieces
  • ¼ cup grape tomatoes, sliced
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 egg
  • Black pepper
  • Kosher salt
  • ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Instructions

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Before draining, reserve a ladle-full, or about ½ cup, of pasta water.

Bring a second pot of water to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Add the vinegar.

Add the olive oil and speck to a large sauté pan over medium heat. Let the speck render and crisp. Add the garlic. Sauté until brown.

Quickly add the asparagus and tomatoes. Sauté another 1-2 minutes. Pour a ladle of pasta water in the pan. Add the butter. Reduce to a sauce-like consistency.

Crack the egg into a mug. Slowly pour it into the simmering vinegar water. Cook until the whites are done and the yolk begins to firm.

Remove the pasta from the water and toss it in the sauce until completely coated. Salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle in the cheese, reserving some for garnish.

Transfer the pasta to a bowl. Form it into a “nest” with a crater in the center. Use a slotted spoon to remove the egg from the water. Place it in the center of the “nest.”

Garnish with remaining Parmesan cheese and pepper. Serve immediately.

Ingredients

SERVINGS: 2 Servings
  • 4 ounces tagliolini pasta (can substitute any long-cut pasta)
  • 2 teaspoons white vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • ½ ounce speck, sliced thin, then julienned (can substitute prosciutto or bacon)
  • 4 cloves garlic, sliced thin
  • ½ cup asparagus, cut into bite-sized pieces
  • ¼ cup grape tomatoes, sliced
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 egg
  • Black pepper
  • Kosher salt
  • ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated