Shirred Egg with White Truffles
Combining white truffles with fresh eggs is an outstanding way to enjoy truffles (and to enjoy eggs). In our hands-on cooking courses, we teach many preparations for serving this incredible jewel of the earth, from antipasto to risotto, pasta fresca to fabulous secondo.
This recipe is easy enough to make at home without special instructions. And it is truly delicious, made the same way in Alba's trattorie and ristoranti. Definitely best when served a bit runny, the creaminess of the egg blends flawlessly with the heavy cream. Shaved white truffle transports you to heaven, and if you serve this with Bruno Giacosa's Spumante Extra Brut or Roero Arneis, you'll taste a marriage made in heaven!
Usually I make extra ramekins as a second helping. One ramekin seems to be never enough to satisfy passions for a luxurious dining experience. (Plus my guests tend to inhale this dish within seconds.) An annual autumn event in my home, I've served this simple dish for brunch, lunch, dinner and after-theatre repast, always to raves. You will, too.
- Per 2-ounce porcelain ramekin:
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unsalted butter for coating ramekin and 1/8 teaspoon for topping
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1
tablespoon heavy cream, divided
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1
fresh large egg
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1/2
teaspoon grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
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sea salt and freshly ground white pepper to taste
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fresh white truffle or white truffle oil
the center of the oven, as the water bath. Preheat the oven to 450º F/230º C. Meanwhile, generously butter each porcelain ramekin. Pour in 1 1/2 teaspoons heavy cream, then
break 1 large egg over, allowing it to slip into the cream. Pour in another 1 1/2 teaspoons heavy cream to prevent the yolk from forming a crust during cooking or drying out. Sprinkle about 1/2 teaspoon grated Parmigiano-Reggiano over, season to taste and dot with a small nugget of butter.
2. Baking the Eggs in the Water Bath: Carefully transfer each ramekin into the hot water bath. The water should rise to about 1/4" below the ramekins' top rims; if not, pour hot tap water into the pan until it reaches this level. (The water bath keeps the eggs soft and moist and helps prevent a tough crust from forming during baking.)
Reduce the heat to 400º F/200º C. Bake for 5-6 minutes. At this point, check the eggs because every oven is different, and the baking time depends on how long the oven door was open while transferring the eggs into the hot water bath. Look for the egg whites being set by about 1/4" around the edges, the yolks remain quite runny and the eggs jiggle in their centers when moved. Perfect. Take the eggs out of the water bath now. (If you prefer a firm egg, increase the baking time by 2-3 minutes, then proceed. Only baking, and not setting its surface through direct top heat/broiling, tends to toughen the egg.)
3. Setting the Surface Beneath the Broiler: * If you do not happen to have a fresh white truffle on-hand, not to worry, this isn't unusual is it? Simply pour 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon white truffle oil on top of each egg after baking in the water bath. Then proceed as follows:
Put the baked egg ramekins beneath a very hot broiler (automatically hot from the baking time) for 2-3 minutes. * Watch carefully, do not overcook or the eggs become solid. The yolks will set on their surfaces with the interiors runny or soft depending on 2 or 3 minutes beneath the broiler, and there will be a few golden bubbles of cream on top. Each ramekin remains scalding hot for a few minutes so you have time to plate and serve.
Place ramekins on decorative plates and serve with toast points or grissini. Shave fresh white truffles over...enjoy a little bit of heaven on earth!
