My brother and sister and I craved this dish so often as kids that we finally learned to make it ourselves; it is actually one of the first dishes I ever made for myself. These days I consider it special-occasion food, not everyday fare, and it’s especially good for Sunday brunch. Add champagne and a fruit salad and you’re done. The basil aioli keeps for up to a week in the fridge and it works as a dip for veggies, or as a sandwich spread.
Recipe information
Yield
4 to 6 servings
Ingredients
1
Basil Aioli
1
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
4
4 to 6
Need to make a substitution?
Preparation
Step 1
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the asparagus bundle and cook for 3 minutes. Use tongs to transfer the asparagus to a bowl of ice water and let sit until cool, about 5 minutes. Drain the asparagus, remove the rubber band, and cut into 1-inch pieces.
Make the Basil Aioli
Step 2
While the asparagus cooks, combine the garlic, egg yolks, mustard, lemon juice, basil, salt, pepper, and cayenne in a food processor and run the machine to mix. With the machine running, slowly drizzle in the vegetable and olive oils.
Step 3
Meanwhile, add the pasta to the same pot of salted water used to cook the asparagus and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain the pasta and place in a large bowl. Add 1 cup basil aioli, the asparagus, the shaved cheese, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and combine. Turn out onto a serving platter.
Step 4
Melt the butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the eggs, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and fry to your liking. Place the eggs atop the pasta and serve.