Home

Straw and Hay with Asparagus and Eggs

17/11/2023

But Here is a recipe that combines the tradition of “straw and hay” pasta with the freshness of asparagus and the creaminess of eggs.

Ingredients

  • 250 g of “straw and hay” pasta
  • 400 g of fresh asparagus
  • 4 large eggs
  • 50 g of butter
  • 50 g of grated Parmesan cheese
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Extra virgin olive oil to taste

Preparation

  1. Let’s begin with preparing the asparagus. Wash them under running water, remove the hardest parts of the stem and cut them into pieces, keeping the tips separate. If the asparagus are very large, you may also lightly peel them with a potato peeler to remove the most fibrous part.

  2. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and blanch the asparagus for about 3-4 minutes. The tips will need less time, so add them after 1-2 minutes from the cooking of the stems. Drain them and set them aside.

  3. In a large pan, melt the butter and add the asparagus. Cook them over medium heat for a few minutes, adjusting the seasoning with salt and pepper.

  4. In the meantime, cook the “straw and hay” pasta in plenty of salted water following the cooking time on the package to keep it al dente.

  5. Crack the eggs into a bowl and beat them slightly with a fork adding a bit of extra virgin olive oil, salt, pepper, and the grated Parmesan cheese.

  6. Drain the pasta while reserving a bit of the cooking water and pour it into the pan with the asparagus. Mix well to flavor.

  7. Reduce the heat to low and pour the beaten eggs over the pasta, stirring quickly and continuing to cook for a minute or until the egg begins to set, forming a light cream that envelops the pasta.

  8. If the mixture is too dry, add some of the pasta cooking water set aside to make it creamier.

  9. Serve immediately, with an extra sprinkle of Parmesan if desired.

Curiosity

“Straw and hay” pasta is so named for its two colors, yellow and green, obtained from the dough mixed with semolina and spinach added for the green part. This type of pasta has origins in Emilia-Romagna and is very well suited to creamy sauces or with spring ingredients like asparagus.