Serves: 4 as an entree

This is a brilliant recipe for so many reasons.

It is the signature dish of Armando Percuoco of Buon Ricordo and typifies his wonderful, modern Italian cuisine; this dish served alongside his deep fried zucchini flowers together with a glass of chilled white wine is simply magic. I few years back, I replicated this combo at least once every summer and seriously, you win smiles and nods.

You just look better in everyone’s eyes!

The truffle egg pasta is a very simple dish to accomplish though it is one where no corners can be cut; the best pasta, full cream and proper butter are the point of the recipe, not merely the base. There is no question that bang for buck, this recipe is way up there.

The few times I have cooked this, I have used truffle oil though when I have had it at Buon Ricordo, it has been with truffled egg. There is a difference in flavour, though not better or worse; just different. Frankly, I’m not sure I can be bothered truffling eggs in my amateur kitchen.

You probably won’t be able to lie to your lady friend about the ingredients or the calories, though life is short and you’re only going to whip this up once a year right?

Do it and thank Armando later.

Ingredients

280g fresh or dry Fettuccine
1 tablespoon Butter
1 cup Cream
4 tablespoons grated Parmesan
4 Truffle Eggs or 1 tablespoon truffle oil
Extra Parmesan for serving

Method

1. Boil fettuccine for about six minutes if dry, or four minutes if fresh. Drain.
2. To a frying pan add butter and cream and simmer for three minutes over medium heat to reduce the mixture.
3. If using ordinary eggs and truffle oil, add truffle oil now.
4. Add cooked pasta and toss, then add parmesan and stir.
5. Divide pasta into four serves on plates.
6. In the meantime smear frying pan with butter and fry egg until whites are firm, but yolks are still runny. Do not burn or allow a brown under-crust to burn; it is not Sunday morning.
7. Place egg on pasta.
8. Add more parmesan, salt and pepper and toss egg into pasta.