Green Asparagus with Poached Eggs and Parmesan

Green asparagus were always on the table in spring - steamed, dressed with extra virgin olive oil and salt, or with a poached egg and Parmesan. In Italy, we never complicate fresh ingredients; we only add simple flavours to enhance them.

Asparagus has roots in Italian cooking that go back to ancient Rome.

Writers of the time singled out the spears from Pozzuoli and Ravenna as particularly prized.

Centuries later, in the 14th century, a Tuscan cookbook included it among the vegetables worth cooking properly.

By 1584, a Ferrarese banquet manager had recorded it served alla Piemontese sopra a pan fritto, on fried bread, Piedmontese style.

Asparagus paired with egg is a combination that predates all of this and has never needed changing.

While the green asparagus you find in the market are thick and chunky, in the forest you can forage wild asparagus.

They are thinner, more bitter, and intensely flavoured, a great alternative while waiting for the wild mushroom season to start.

For more vegetables Italians serve during this time of the year, you can find: Raw Italian Artichoke Salad with Parmesan, Fresh Italian Broad Beans Recipe (Fava Bean Minestra) and Easy Authentic Italian Green Beans Tomatoes Recipe.

Ingredients

• Green asparagus - fresh spears should be firm to the touch
• Fresh eggs - here I poach them, but you can also serve them scrambled or sunny side up
• Parmesan - shredded over the finished dish
• Extra virgin olive oil - use a good one
• Salt

Find the measurements in the recipe card

Instructions

1. Rinse the asparagus. Peel the lower third of each spear and snap or cut off the woody base.
2. Steam for 8 minutes. Green asparagus are thinner than white and cook faster.
3. Poach the eggs for 5 minutes if you want them runny.
4. Arrange the asparagus on a plate. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and season with salt.
5. Place the poached eggs on top and shred Parmesan generously over everything. Serve immediately.

Serving Suggestions

While many of you may think of asparagus with eggs as a breakfast dish, in Italy this is a light dinner.

We eat lighter in the evening - a plate of vegetables, a good egg some cheese and nothing more.

It also makes a perfect outdoor lunch as the days get warmer in spring.

For a special occasion, I like to serve it with Crescia, the Italian cheese bread made with Parmesan and Pecorino.

More Spring vegetable recipes

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