Name: Tagliatelle with Asparagus and Parmesan Fonduta
Yield: Serves 4 as a main
Ingredients: 2 large egg yolks; 1 1/2 cups crème fraîche; 5 ounces Parmesan cheese, finely grated, plus a bit more for finishing; 1 medium garlic clove, finely grated on a rasp-style grater; Kosher salt; 1 pound asparagus, woody bottoms snapped off, stalks cut on the diagonal into long 1/2- inch-thick pieces, tips left whole; 1/2 recipe Fresh Egg Pasta , cut into tagliatelle

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Tagliatelle with Asparagus and Parmesan FondutaDavid Loftus

This entire dish is right out of Rose and Ruthie's River Café playbook, with just a few tweaks of my own. They taught me how to make fonduta, a silky sauce rich with crème fraîche and egg yolks. It takes less time and just a bit more effort than tomato sauce, and turns a plate of pasta into an elegant and impressive meal. Get yourself some asparagus spears that are as thick as your pointer finger—not those thin or sprouty ones—and you'll enjoy the juicy slivers in each bite.

Recipe information

Yield
Serves 4 as a main

Ingredients

2 large egg yolks

1 1/2 cups crème fraîche

5 ounces Parmesan cheese, finely grated, plus a bit more for finishing

1 medium garlic clove, finely grated on a rasp-style grater

Kosher salt

1 pound asparagus, woody bottoms snapped off, stalks cut on the diagonal into long 1/2- inch-thick pieces, tips left whole

1/2 recipe Fresh Egg Pasta , cut into tagliatelle

Preparation

Step 1
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Meanwhile, bring an inch or two of water to a boil in a small pot. Whisk together the egg yolks, crème fraîche, Parmesan, and garlic in a large heatproof bowl that will fit snugly in the pot without making contact with the boiling water.
Step 2
Set the bowl in the small pot and whisk the egg mixture constantly, occasionally scraping the sides and removing the bowl from the pot every couple of minutes as you whisk to keep the cooking nice and slow (don't let it bubble). The mixture will look thick and clumpy for a few seconds, then become liquidy, and then, once the cheese has melted, silky smooth. Cook just until the liquidy sauce has thickened slightly (it should thinly coat the back of a spoon), 6 to 8 minutes. Set the bowl aside in a warm place.
Step 3
Salt the large pot of boiling water generously until it tastes slightly less salty than the sea. If you're confident that the pasta and asparagus will finish cooking at the same time, add them both to the water. If you're a worrywart, cook the asparagus first, scoop it into a colander to drain, then cook the pasta. Cook the asparagus until it is juicy with a slight bite, 3 to 4 minutes; and cook the pasta until it is fully cooked, 3 to 4 minutes.
Step 4
Drain the pasta and asparagus well in a colander, then pop them back into the now-empty pot. Pour in most of the fonduta and toss gently but well. Season to taste with salt and more fonduta, if you'd like. Transfer to bowls, top with a little more Parmesan, and eat straightaway.