Asparagus, egg and pecorino sauce
Not a carbonara, but kind of. This sauce uses the same principles of a carbonara in that the sauce itself is made up of egg and pecorino, combined with the magic properties of starchy pasta water to create a wonderful, silky smooth emulsion. Instead of guanciale we’re utilising the mighty asparagus which is right in season here in the UK at the moment, which is where I’m currently staying for a short while visiting family.
The method is very similar to my classic Roman-style carbonara recipe, however the egg mix is a little different to create a lighter sauce – just one extra yolk for the pot, a whole egg per person and the traditional pecorino Romano has been replaced with a less mature, softer pecorino del monte (which is very similar to manchego in both taste and texture).
You can use any short pasta shape for this one, but I think rigatoni or mezze maniche work best (I had these verde ones from the markets that worked nicely, though not essential!). This is a really quick and easy dish, if you’re using fresh pasta you can throw that on while the asparagus cooks, but if you’re using dry pasta start with cooking that and tackle the sauce in the final 5 minutes.
This is a fantastic vegetable-forward pasta dish that makes excellent use of in season asparagus.
Asparagus, egg and pecorino sauce
Ingredients
- 200 g rigatoni
- 2 whole eggs
- 1 egg yolk
- 80 g pecorino del monte this is more of a fresco cheese, milder and softer than pecorino Romano. A good 1:1 substitute would be manchego
- 2 tbsp EVOO
- 2-3 garlic cloves thinly sliced
- 1 bunch of asparagus (approx 12 stalks) woody ends removed, stalks cut into small rounds and spears left intact
Instructions
- Combine the eggs, cheese and a good amount of black pepper in a bowl and set aside.
- Heat the olive oil over a low-medium heat in a large sauté pan and add the garlic. Stir frequently and allow it to almost crisp (but not burn), before adding the asparagus. Add a pinch of salt and then let it gently cook away until fork tender – a few minutes.
- Remove the pan from the heat and add your al dente pasta, reserving the pasta water.
- Add a good splash of pasta water to the eggs to temper the mixture and immediately stir to combine. Then (while the pan is still off heat), pour the egg mixture over the pasta and quick toss and agitate the pan to emulsify and form the sauce.
- You can then add the pan back over a low heat and continue cooking to thicken up the sauce to your desired consistency. Of course if you take it too far you can always add a splash of pasta water to loosen again.
- Serve immediately.
