Pasta with Spring Veggies and Soft Cooked Egg

So Miss Kate is back at it again! This recipe is making me drool (was that too much information)? When we lived in Boston we used to go to a restaurant called Stella and this recipe reminds me of their linguine with poached eggs and truffle oil.

This is a great spring dish. Its easy enough for a weeknight meal, but seems fancy enough for a date night at home. It uses some fresh spring veggies tossed with pasta and topped with a soft cooked egg, the yolk runs into the pasta and makes it that much better!

Ingredients: 

• 4oz Spaghetti
• 1 C Asparagus
• 1 C Snow Peas or Sugar Snap Peas
• 1 Small Zucchini
• 2TB Butter
• 1/2 C Parmesan Shredded
• 2 Eggs

Serves 2

Before I begin, I want to say I'm a big fan of mise en place, use it! It makes cooking much easier, a few minutes of prep work will save you headaches in the middle of the cooking process. My mise en place for this recipe...

Fill a large pasta pot with water, salt generously and bring to a boil. Also fill a small sauce pan or pot (just large enough to cook two eggs) with water and bring to boil.

While waiting for the water to boil, prep your veggies. Trim asparagus and cut into 2 inch pieces, trim the peas if necessary. Using a julienne peeler cut the zucchini into slices by going length-wise around the outer edge of the zucchini until you reach the seeds in the middle, discard that part.

Once the pasta water is boiling add pasta and cook for 1 minute less than the package instructions for al dente, then add the asparagus and peas and cook for the last minute, reserve about a cup of pasta water then drain the pasta and veggies. 

In the smaller pot, reduce the water to a simmer and gently lower in the two eggs. Set a timer for  6 minutes and cook the egg for exactly 6 minutes. When done run under cold water immediately and set aside.

In a large skillet melt the butter and add about 1/4 C of the pasta water, then add the pasta and veggie mixture, along with the zucchini and Parmesan, stir to create a sauce adding more pasta liquid if necessary. Season with salt & pepper.

Turn off the heat but leave the pasta in the pan to stay warm and gently peel the soft cooked eggs, then divide the pasta among two bowls, top each with an egg, leaving it whole. Sprinkle lightly with Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper.

Then serve, each person can break into the egg and mix the yolk into the pasta, yum!

Okay, I am off to Harris Teeter right now to go and buy these ingredients! I have some truffle salt that I have been dying to try and think I might sprinkle a little on top of this meal!

Happy Pinning!
By Kate Lindsey