Should you be so lucky to have the pleasure of actually eating asparagus in bed I might have to ask where you live – I’ll be stopping by for a few days of delicious rest.

I have to admit that I don’t eat in bed very often. I’m sure I could enjoy it,  but when the plate is empty I’d have to be the one cleaning the Parmesan crumbles from the sheets, which would put a damper on my few moments of pleasure.

Maybe I need to make some lifestyle changes. Because seriously, what could be more relaxed and sensual than nibbling tender spears of asparagus with your fingers, dipping into the creamy yolk of a softly poached egg and reclining comfortably; all at the same time?

The recipe is so named because of the way the tips of the asparagus spears peek out from beneath a “blanket” of egg and cheese. It appears in the cookbook Cucina Simpatica, inspired by Asparagi alla Bismark, a dish served at Bagutta, a very old restaurant in Milan.

The recipe in the cookbook calls for the asparagus to be quickly roasted at a high temperature – at the restaurant Al Forno where it’s made they cook in a super-hot wood burning oven – and topped with an egg fried in butter. When the soft yolk, butter and cheese commingle, they create their own sauce.

I made my version with blanched asparagus because it was morning, I was hungry, and I didn’t feel like waiting for the oven to get hot. I also poached my eggs rather than frying for the same lazy reason, but the thought of a buttery fired egg makes me go mmmmm inside. I might have to try that next time, just before I jump back into bed to eat.