Pappardelle are hand-cut large pasta ribbons traditionally served with creamy or rustic sauces. The pasta’s name comes from the Italian verb ’pappare’ which means "to gobble up." Here is a restaurant trick to make poached eggs in advance. Simply poach your eggs just until the whites are barely set and place directly into an ice bath to stop the cooking process. You can use the same bowl of ice water as the asparagus. When you’re ready to use the eggs, warm through in a simmering pot of water for about a minute and they’re ready to serve. Eggs can be poached and chilled up to 2 days before serving.

In a steamer set over boiling water, cover and steam asparagus until tender, about 3 minutes. Transfer the asparagus to a colander, drain and place in a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Set aside.

To cook pasta: Heat a large pot of water over high heat until boiling. Generously season water with salt. Add pasta and stir immediately to prevent it from sticking together. Cook until al dente, 2 to 3 minutes. Reserve about a cup of pasta water and drain pasta through a colander.

To make sauce: Heat butter and cream in a skillet over medium-low heat until butter is melted. Stir in the lemon zest, juice and salt. Add the hot pasta and asparagus to the sauce and cook, gently tossing the pasta until coated with sauce. If the pasta looks dry, add just enough of the reserved pasta water to achieve a saucy consistency. Add basil and parsley and toss through. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and generously season with black pepper.

To serve: Transfer pasta to 4 warmed pasta bowls and top each portion with a warmed poached egg and generously garnish with grated parmesan.