Affogato, poché, in a shirt. Three names, one egg. From the French term pocher i.e. “blanch”, or “poach”, the preparation is the same. Despite the poached egg is a traditional recipe, is not often proposed, perhaps due to its complexity. In fact, among the many ways to prepare eggs, affogato is certainly the most difficult.
“I couldn't get the poached egg tie on so I thought I'd order one Pizza. But I had a tantrum. It won't come” The Groucho Marx quote perfectly exemplifies the pitfalls inherent in the preparation of this dish. Even when you feel confident, when you are ready to face the challenge, something often goes wrong. But let's see what the best procedure is for preparing a good poached egg.
How to prepare poached eggs
The first step is to have a pan of boiling water ready. Add the salt but, above all, don't forget a spoonful of vinegar for every liter of water. The egg should be poured into the saucepan when the water starts to simmer, just as the first boil rises. Cooking will last 3 minutes at approximately 95°C. Be careful though, this is really the highlight of the whole process! With the help of the handle of a wooden spoon, a ladle or a whisk you need to create a vortex in the boiling water: the egg, in fact, must dive exactly into the vortex. If the operation is carried out properly, the magic will be before our eyes: the egg, rotating in the vortex, will wrap around itself, closing in a delicate casket.
The 3 common mistakes in preparing poached eggs
Knowing the most frequent mistakes that undermine the success of a perfect poché egg helps not to underestimate the process, which may seem simple, but between saying and doing there is... the vortex.
The first mistake, in fact, concerns the vortex itself: the force must be well calibrated and the water must be swirled at a constant speed. The second, very frequent, is the scarcity or even absence of vinegar. This ingredient has the function of coagulating the egg white, facilitating the success of the recipe. The third is to use a non-fresh egg, and not just for the taste, which would be compromised. When the egg is not fresh the egg white is more liquid: this makes the vortex maneuver even more delicate and the white part risks dispersing in the water.
From 'Gusto: poached egg, parmesan cream and truffle flakes
The restaurant 'Gusto has chosen to include in its menu a dish capable of enhancing the qualities of the poached egg, i.e. on parmesan cream and truffle flakes. Few ingredients for a dish that turns simplicity into an experience of unique flavors, in which the delicacy of the egg, the scent and aroma of the truffle, and the unmistakable taste of parmesan stand out.