Eggs Benedict Spaghetti

   I'm one of those people who could eat breakfast at anytime of the day. One one my favorite breakfasts is Eggs Benedict, so I came up with this dish as an excuse to have it anytime for dinner!  It is like the bastard child of Eggs Benedict and Spaghetti Carbonara.   This recipe has all of the elements of the breakfast classic and tastes just like it. 

prep time 20 minutes, cooking time 20 minutes, serves 4

300g (10oz)spaghetti 
4 whole eggs
200g (7 oz) ham
8 tbs grated parmesan
6 english muffins
1/2 bunch fresh chives, finely chopped
1 tbs butter

For the hollandaise sauce:
4 egg yolks
2 tbs lemon juice
100g (3 1/2 oz) butter
Tabasco

Heat 100g (3 1/2 oz) butter in a small sauce pot until it separates. Pour it into measure cup or coffee mug and let it rest so that the clarified butter rises to the top and the milk settles at the bottom. Put 4 yolks in a metal bowl with 2 tbs lemon juice, a couple dashes of tabasco and 4 tbs warm water. Whisk the egg yolks over hot water until they are thick enough to coat a spoon. Don't let the yolks cook or the sauce will be lumpy. Gradually add the clarified butter while whisking constantly. Season with salt & pepper. Add more warm water to thin the sauce if necessary.   

Cut 2 English muffins into small croutons and toast in the oven at 400 until they just start to brown, about 6 minutes. 

Cut the ham into cubes. Heat 1 tbs of butter in a frying pan and then add the ham. Saute until golden brown. Meanwhile heat a large pot of salted water for the pasta and a smaller pot of salted water with 2 tbs vinegar for poaching the eggs. When the water for the eggs has reached a boil, lower it to a gentle simmer and give it a stir so that the water in moving when the eggs go in. Crack the eggs into small cups or ramekins and then pour them into the water and cook for 5 minutes. Let them rest on paper towel while you finish cooking the pasta.

When the water for the pasta reaches a boil, add the spaghetti add cook for one minute less then the instructions on the packet. Add the cooked noodles to the pan with the ham along with 250ml (1 cup) of the water you cooked the pasta in. Add 4 tbs grated Parmesan and season with salt and pepper. Simmer for one minute.

Divide the pasta among 4 plates and garnish each plate with one poached egg, a tbs of grated Parmesan, English muffin croutons & fresh chives. Drizzle the hollandaise sauce over each dish. Serve with toasted, buttered English muffins and extra Tabasco sauce on the side.