A homemade lemon aïoli
adds flavour and helps to hold
the soft white bread together
at the edges.Asparagus and
egg tramezzini
with lemon aïoli
SERVES 4 // PREP TIME 10 MINS //
COOK 10 MINS (PLUS COOLING)
These little pillowy sandwiches,
said to hail from Turin (see our
feature on page 84), make the
most of spring asparagus.
They’re best eaten almost
as soon as they’re made.
4 eggs, at room temperature
16 asparagus spears
(about 3 bunches), trimmed
8 slices soft white bread,
crusts removed
LEMON AÏOLI
1 egg yolk
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 garlic clove, finely grated
Finely grated rind and
juice of 1 lemon
125 ml (½ cup) olive oil
125 ml (½ cup) extra-virgin
olive oil1 For lemon aïoli, whisk yolk,
mustard, garlic, lemon rind
and half the juice in a bowl to
combine. Combine oils and
gradually add to bowl, drop by
drop to begin with and then in
a thin steady stream, whisking
continuously until thick and
emulsified. Season to taste,
then add remaining lemon
juice to taste. Aïoli will keep
refrigerated in an airtight
container for up to 5 days.
2 Cook eggs in a saucepan
of boiling water until cooked
with just firm yolks (8 minutes).
Drain, refresh under cold
running water, then peel.3 Blanch asparagus until
bright green and just tender
(1-2 minutes; see cook’s notes
p175). Drain and refresh, then
drain well. Trim asparagus
so it’s just a little shorter than
the bread.
4 Lay out bread slices and
spread thinly with lemon aïoli
right to the edges. Thickly slice
eggs and place down the
centre of half the bread slices,
leaving a 1cm gap at the top and
bottom. Arrange 2 asparagus
spears each side of egg,
season to taste, then sandwich
with remaining bread, aïoli-side
down. Press slices together
at the sides, then halve
diagonally and serve. ➤