Asparagi alla Milanese - Milan Style Asparagus
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
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Recipe type: Egg, Appetizer, Luncheon or Easy Dinner Dish
Serves: 2 as a luncheon or light dinner, 4 as an appetizer course
Ingredients
  • 1 pound of fresh asparagus
  • 2 large farm fresh eggs
  • ½ cup fresh bread crumbs
  • 2 slices of Italian style hard crusted bread
  • 4 Tbs olive oil
  • Grated peel of ½ large lemon
  • ¼ cup of Italian parsley leaves, chopped
  • Shaved Parmigiano to taste
  • Salt and Freshly ground black pepper
  • Extra Virgin Olive to drizzle
Instructions
  1. Wash the fresh asparagus and snap off the tough end. Asparagus will naturally break at the junction of the tough and tender portion. With springtime asparagus generally about 2 inches are removed. If you feel uncertain about the snapping process, simply trim using a chef's knife.
  2. Place the asparagus in a flat pan or on a microwave plate and cover with fresh salted water. Either using a microwave or stove top, bring the asparagus to a simmer for 1 to 2 minutes. This will vary depending upon the thickness of your asparagus. Have a bowl prepared with an ice bath and using tongs, remove the blanched asparagus to the ice bath quickly to stop the cooking and retain the bright green color. Once cool, remove the asparagus to a clean cotton towel to drain off all residual water.
  3. Heat the 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a medium sized skillet. Once the oil is hot, add the breadcrumbs and two slices of Italian bread to lightly toast. Stir after about 1 minute to allow time for toasting, turn over the bread slices. Remove the breadcrumbs to a bowl, season with salt & freshly ground black pepper, lemon zest and 1 tablespoon of the chopped parsley. Set the breadcrumb mixture and toasted bread slices aside.
  4. Arrange the blanched asparagus spears on either two individual plates or one plate - depending upon how you are presenting the dish. Sprinkle half of the breadcrumb mixture over the asparagus.
  5. Gently heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet large enough to accommodate two fried eggs. Once the oil is hot, break the eggs into the skillet, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and cook until the white is set, but the yellow is sill runny. Immediately top the asparagus with the fried eggs; one on each plate if you are making two distinct portions.
  6. Sprinkle the remaining breadcrumb mixture over the fried eggs, shave some Parmigiano over the dish and garnish with the chopped parsley. Drizzle with just a bit of extra virgin olive oil and serve immediately.
Recipe by LaBellaSorella at https://labellasorella.com/2017/04/asparagus-milan-style/