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Spaghetti alla Carbonara



Bacon, eggs and pasta? Dinner in heaven. I have used bacon in spaghetti all carbonara, but I prefer pancetta; the smokiness of the bacon can overpower the rest of the dish. When I want bacony pasta, however, I use the thick cut variety.

The eggs form the creamy, rich sauce. No dairy needed! The heat of the cooked pasta cooks the egg mixture and the starchy cooking water helps the sauce to cling to the pasta and thicken. The cheese adds nutty saltiness; as a big fan of pecorino I almost always include it in my italian recipes but you could skip it and double the parmesan if you prefer.

All that’s needed is a glass of your favorite wine and you have an indulgent, quick weeknight meal. Dig in!

Ingredients:
1/2 pound spaghetti
4 ounces pancetta, diced
plenty of freshly cracked black pepper
salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 eggs and 1 yolks
1/2 cup grated parmiggiano reggiano
1/2 cup pecorino romano
1/2 cup reserved starchy pasta water


Method:
Beat together the eggs, freshly cracked black pepper and grated cheeses. Set aside.

In a large pot, bring water to the boil; add a generous amount of salt. Add the pasta and cook until al dente.

Meanwhile, add the oil and pancetta to a large skillet over medium high heat. Cook the pancetta until it is crisp, then reduce the heat to low. Pour the 1/2 cup of reserved pasta water into the pancetta, and add the pasta as well. Toss.


Turn the heat off, and drizzle in the egg mixture, using tongs to toss the pasta. The heat of the pasta will cook the eggs. Add more reserved pasta water or cheese to adjust the consistency of the sauce.  Serve and enjoy!


Comments

  1. UnknownOctober 11, 2018 at 4:26 PM

    Mary, you are amazing!

    ReplyDelete
  2. UnknownOctober 11, 2018 at 4:28 PM

    This is Andrea btw... I thought the post would show my name but I can't tell! I love catching up on your blog :-)

    ReplyDelete

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