Читать книгу Kitchen Memories - Lucy Boyd - Страница 52

1 bundle of fresh green English asparagus, about 350g, tough ends snapped off, washed

150ml double cream or g crème fraîche

6 good-quality fresh medium eggs, separated

about 30g Parmesan cheese, grated, plus extra to serve

extra-virgin olive oil

200g smoked streaky bacon or pancetta, cut into small pieces about 5mm thick

1 smallish sprig of fresh rosemary, leaves stripped from their stems, washed, dried and finely chopped

2 small dried chillies (bird’s eye chillies are good)

2 fat garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped

500g penne rigate

salt and black pepper

Put a pan of water on to boil which is large enough for the penne to swell while cooking and salt the water.

Cut the asparagus at a sharp angle into slices about 5mm thick.

Put the cream or crème fraîche into a bowl, add the egg yolks and the Parmesan, then season with salt and pepper and stir to combine.

Heat a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil in a heavy-based pan. Add the bacon or pancetta with the rosemary and crush the dried chillies in with your fingers. Just before the bacon starts to turn golden, add the garlic. Remove from the heat if you are worried the bacon is going too far, it will continue to cook for a minute or so.

Put the asparagus in a colander or sieve and blanch in the boiling water until just tender – about 3 minutes, then remove and add to the bacon in the pan and stir to combine the flavours.

Put the penne into the boiling water and cook for 10 minutes until al dente (with a little bite). Add the pasta to the bacon and asparagus and toss together, then pour the egg and cream mixture into the pasta – do this off the heat or you will end up with scrambled eggs.

Serve onto warm plates with a grating of fresh Parmesan – the grater held from above and quite high, and using long strokes over the finer grate, will produce the perfect texture – you don’t want dust.