Spaghetti Carbonara
- 1 pound spaghetti
- 1/2 pound pancetta (sliced 1/4 " thick at the deli, and cut into lardons)
- 4 large eggs (locally raised and cage-free if possible)
- 1 tablespoon garlic, finely chopped
- 1 cup Pecorino Romano cheese, freshly grated
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons finely minced fresh parsley
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Freshly grated parmesan reggiano to pass at the table
- Put salted water on the boil for the pasta, grate the romano cheese and set aside, finely mince the fresh parsley and reserve.
- In a very large skillet, saute the pancetta lardons in the olive oil over medium heat until the bacon has rendered much of its fat. You don't want to cook the pancetta to the point of being crisp, it is better with a little fatty "chew" still left in it. Just before the pancetta is done, add the minced garlic to the pan and allow to cook until the garlic is golden brown. Set the pan aside to cool. (Allowing the pan to cool some at this point is important, because if the pan is too hot when you add the eggs later, they will immediately scramble, and not gently cook into the creamy sauce that is your ultimate goal. The dish will still taste fine if this happens, but it will look like someone gacked in your pan, so be careful.)
- Break the eggs into a medium sized bowl and whisk them till smooth. Add the grated cheese to the eggs and keep handy.
- Cook the pasta to the maker's instructions for "al dente", and as soon as it is done, quickly strain it and toss it into the skillet with the pancetta, reserving a cup of the pasta cooking water to thin your sauce later if needed. Add the cheese and egg mixture to the pasta along with the parsley, and toss to coat. The heat from the pasta will gently cook the eggs, and melt the cheese into a luxuriously rich and smooth sauce. If the sauce is too thick for your liking, add some of the reserved pasta cooking water to loosen it. Check the sauce for seasoning before plating.
- To serve, place the pasta into warmed bowls, top liberally with freshly ground black pepper, and sprinkle with some freshly grated parmesan.
spaghetti, pancetta, eggs, garlic, romano cheese, extra virgin olive oil, fresh parsley, freshly ground black pepper, parmesan reggiano
Taken from food52.com/recipes/2635-spaghetti-carbonara (may not work)