Asparagus in Bed

Serves 4

This recipe, which I’ve tweaked only slightly, comes from Cucina Simpatica, a cookbook written by Johanne Killeen and George Germon. It’s a delicious addition to a brunch or lunch menu and takes little time to pull together.

Ingredients

2 pounds asparagus, tough ends discarded
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
a sprinkling of coarse or fine sea salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 eggs
1/2 cup freshly-grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Recipe

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

2. Spread the asparagus on a rimmed baking sheet and drizzle it with olive oil. Sprinkle it with sea salt and roast it in the oven until it is done to your liking. The amount of time will depend on how tender you like it and on the thickness of your spears. It generally takes 15-20 minutes.

3. While the asparagus is cooking, melt the butter in a skillet and break the eggs into the pan, taking care to keep the yolks whole. Cook the eggs until the whites are set and the yolks are still soft.

4. Remove the asparagus from the oven and divide the spears among 4 plates. Using a spatula, transfer one egg to each “bed” of asparagus, leaving only the tips of the asparagus exposed. Top with cheese, drizzle the melted butter left in the skillet over the cheese, and serve.