Ingredients:

• 6 fresh organic eggs
• 1 cup of fine sea salt
• 1 cup of sugar
• 1 lb of bucatini
• 5 roasted red peppers, skin and seeds removed. Or one 12oz jar of roasted red peppers like Dunbar Roasted Peppers rinsed
• 3 tbs of olive oil
• 1 large shallot sliced
• 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/4 tsp of salts
• 1 tbs of the juice that comes out of a can of Chipotle in Adobo Sauce
• 1/4 cup of crushed pink peppercorns (they look red)
• 1/2 cup of chopped parsley
• 1/2 cup of shaved Parmigiano Reggiano

Step 1: How to Cure Egg Yolks

I starting experimenting with cured egg yolks about 6 months ago. The consistency of a cured yolk depends on the amount of time you allow it to cure. For this dish, I prefer a 12-hour cure because the center is still gooey. If you allow the yolks to cure for 3 to 4 days they harden and can be grated over vegetables, pasta or rice!

EGG INSTRUCTIONS: In a bowl, mix together the salt and sugar. Do not skimp on the salt. Pour two-thirds of the mixture into a medium-sized Tupperware container. Next, smooth the salt/sugar mix to create an even layer on the bottom of the container. Using the back of a spoon, create little pockets for the eggs to sit in. One-by-one, gently remove the egg whites from the yolks. Crack an egg into the palm of your hand and allow the white to drip through into another bowl. When just the yolk remains, slowly drop the yolks into the pockets created in the salt/sugar mixture. Try keeping the yolks intact (see below).

Once all 6 eggs are in their pockets, cover the eggs with the remaining salt/sugar mixture, place lid on Tupperware and refrigerate for 10 to 12 hours.

Step 2: Making the Red Pepper Sauce

My red pepper sauce is easy to whip up and works well with pasta, eggs, and even fish. I add heat to the sauce simply by adding the liquid from a can of Chipotle in Adobo (found at any local grocery). If your family doesn’t like heat, the sauce is still AMAZING without it. Also, feel free to substitute homemade roasted red peppers with jarred red peppers. Tip: When using jarred red peppers be sure to drain and rinse the peppers before using them. I suggest Dunbar Roasted Peppers.

SAUCE INSTRUCTIONS: In a small saucepan saute one shallot in 1.5 tbs of olive oil over medium heat. Allow the shallots to cook until they are translucent, then add the smoked paprika, roasted red peppers, 1/4 tsp of salt and chipotle in adobo liquid. Mix the ingredients and allow them to cook for 3 to 4 minutes then turn off the burner and allow ingredients to cool to room temperature. Once the red pepper mixture has cooled empty the ingredients plus 1.5 tbs of olive oil into a blender and puree until smooth.

Fill a medium-sized pasta pot three-fourths of the way with water. Add 1/2 tsp of salt to the water and bring to a boil. Once the water is boiling add the bucatini. Cook the bucatini al dente (cooked firm, but not raw). When the pasta is done, drain the water, return the pasta to the pot and immediately add the roasted red pepper sauce.

Step 3: Plating the Bucatini Nests

PLATING INSTRUCTIONS: To create the bucatini nests you’ll need a large serving spoon and a large regular fork. Using your fork to twirl the bucatini into the large serving spoon gathering as much bucatini as you can.

Holding the spoon and fork together, bring the bucatini to the plate and use the spoon to slide the pasta off the fork.

Using the fork and serving spoon, gently widen the base of the bucatini nest.

Place one cured egg in the bucatini nest hole and garnish with shaved parm, chopped parsley, and crushed pink peppercorns. Tip: Go light on the cheese because the cured egg yolk is salty

Pink peppercorns have a spicy-sweet taste and can be found at most supermarkets.

Boun appetito! If you enjoyed this recipe, be sure to check out my recipe for Ribolita!