Poached Eggs Over Scafata

There’s two reasons I’m excited about this post, ok three. The first reason is I finally poached an egg! It’s not that I never thought I could it’s just that the timing wasn’t right & I honestly didn’t know it was so easy. It’s really easy & kind of an addicting & fun process (or maybe just for me it is). The second reason is I cooked with a new-to-me veggie, fresh fava beens (they look like super fat green beans). The third reason for my excitement is that I learned what scafata is. Scafata is an Italian dish typically made of lava beans, Swiss chard & bacon. This recipe from Bon Appetit magazine didn’t have bacon in it & I’m ok with that because I don’t really (gasp!) care for it. Finding seasonal fava beans at your favorite specialty store or farmers markets really elevates it so try to find some when you’re shopping.



Ingredients (recipe from Bon Appetit Magazine’s Poached Eggs over Scafata)

• 1 spring onion, sliced (I used a small red onion because that’s what I had on hand)
• 1 fresh chile, halved (I used a dried de Arbol Chile)
• 8 oz asparagus (about 1/2 a bunch), cut on a diagonal into 1” pieces
• 1/4 cup olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced
• 1 cup fresh fava beans (from 1 lb of pods)
• 1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed (you can use fresh if you have them!)
• 1/2 head escarole, torn into bite-size pieces (about 2 cups - I used a whole bag of the pre-washed, pre-cut stuff & it worked great)
• 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, torn if large
• 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, torn if large
• 2 tbsp white wine vinegar (I used white balsamic vinegar - I would opt for a light in color vinegar but honestly I’m sure any will work just fine)
• 4 large eggs
• 2 oz romano cheese, finely grated

Make it!

1. Heat onion, chile, garlic, asparagus, & ¼ cup oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat until oil begins to bubble.
2. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, & cook, shaking pan occasionally, until asparagus is crisp-tender, about 2 minutes.
3. Add scallions, fava beans, & peas; cover & cook until fava beans are just tender, about 2 minutes.
4. Add escarole, basil, & mint & cook, tossing, until escarole is wilted & asparagus is very tender, about 2 minutes; season with salt.
5. Meanwhile, bring 2” water to a boil in a large saucepan; reduce heat so water is at a gentle simmer & add vinegar.
6. Crack an egg into a small bowl, then gently slide egg into water.
7. Repeat with remaining eggs, waiting until whites of eggs in water are opaque before adding the next egg (about 30 seconds apart).
8. Poach until whites are set but yolks are still runny, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer eggs to paper towels as they are done. If you break the eggs before you get them to the plate - don't throw them out - your husband will still eat them - so next time I won't toss them! (If you skip the paper towel step like I did, you’ll just have little extra water in your dish - whoops - life lesson. I’ll use the paper towel trick from now on.)
9. Serve scafata topped with eggs & grated cheese & drizzled with oil.