Asparagus, Prosciutto and Egg

This recipe is by Carlo Mirarchi, the chef and co-owner of Roberta’s in Brooklyn

20 stalks medium-thickness asparagus, washed
3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for serving
Sea salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Juice of ½ lemon
5 large eggs (chicken or duck)
1/4 cup heavy cream
4 large, thin slices La Quercia prosciutto (see note)
4 to 6 tablespoons freshly grated pecorino Romano
Freshly ground black pepper.

1. Prepare the asparagus: trim the ends off the asparagus where they break naturally. Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in large sauté pan over medium heat. Once the oil shimmers, add the asparagus and season with sea salt. Turn frequently and cook until the spears are crisp-tender, about 8 minutes. When the asparagus is almost ready, add 1 tablespoon butter to the pan and use it to baste the asparagus. Squeeze lemon juice over the asparagus, and lay the stalks on a paper towel to drain.

2. To cook the eggs, heat 1 tablespoon butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Once it is melted, crack the eggs into the saucepan and add the cream. As the whites of the eggs become visible, slowly whisk the eggs with a fork until they have a soft and creamy texture. It is important that they remain very creamy and soft. They will continue cooking off the heat, so stop before they are fully cooked. Once the eggs are the desired texture, add sea salt to taste.

3. To assemble the dish, divide the asparagus among 4 warm plates. Drape a slice of prosciutto over each bundle of asparagus. Spoon the soft scrambled eggs over the prosciutto, followed by the grated pecorino and black pepper. Sprinkle with olive oil and serve immediately. Serves 4 as a first course.

Note: La Quercia prosciutto is available at Whole Foods and at laquercia.us.