Egg pasta is the term for a dish prepared with eggs and pasta. Other ingredients of this pasta dish are olive oil, cheese, flavoring herbs like basil, thyme and oregano, seasonings like salt and pepper, and additional vegetables and meats as per choice. The dish can contain egg in boiled, scrambled or any other cooked form, and there are many variations to it. Scramble Egg Pasta and Pasta with Fried Eggs are common variations. Egg pasta is served as an appetizer, side or main dish, often with a garnish of grated cheese.
Egg Pasta as a Type of Pasta
The term egg pasta is also used to connote uncooked pasta made with dough prepared with flour and eggs. To prepare it, white flour is mixed with eggs to make dough that is then used to make pasta by means of a pasta making machine.
Popular Methods of Preparation of Egg Pasta
Ingredients: Eggs, pasta, olive oil, garlic, salt, black pepper, cheese and flavoring herbs are the basic ingredients suggested by the egg pasta recipe. Vegetables and meats of various kinds may be included as per taste.
Method of Preparation: The dish is prepared by heating olive oil and sautéing garlic and/or onions in it. Additional ingredients such as asparagus or mushrooms may also be sautéed as per individual recipe. Seasonings are added in, followed by egg and pasta. Egg may be added in pre-cooked form or cooked in the same oil before adding in the pasta. It may be boiled, scrambled or fried.
Serving Egg Pasta
The dish is served hot as a starter or a side dish with accompaniments like salad and French or Italian bread. It may also be served as a light meal by itself. Grated cheese and toasted pine nuts may be used for garnish.
Popular Egg Pasta Recipes
- Spaghetti with Fried Eggs: To prepare this version, garlic is sautéed in some heated olive oil in a pan, after which more oil is added to the pan, and eggs are broken into it and allowed to fry. When the egg white is about to be set and the yolks are still runny, cooked pasta is mixed in, breaking up the egg whites in the process. The remaining cooking of the eggs happens with the heat of the pasta, and seasonings are added as per taste.
- Scrambled Egg Pasta with Pancetta and Asparagus: To prepare this dish, coarsely chopped pancetta is sautéed in melted butter in a pan, followed by addition of chopped onions and asparagus. These are sautéed till asparagus is crisp and tender, followed by addition of cooked pasta and seasonings, stirring to coat the pasta. Whisked eggs mixed with salt and pepper are added in at this stage, stirring till they are softly set.
- Soft Boiled Egg Pasta: This is prepared by cooking onions, mushrooms and zucchini in heated oil by covering, and then tossing them with cooked pasta and pesto sauce. Soft boiled eggs, which have been peeled and halved, are served alongside this pasta.
Nutrition Information
Egg pasta is a rich source of low cost and high quality protein due to the presence of eggs. A single serving of one common form of the dish contains about 300 calories, though the exact calorie count varies with individual recipe.
