Pasta alla Carbonara
Pasta alla Carbonara
Serves 4 to 5.
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2/3 cup diced guanciale, pancetta, or bacon (cut into 1/4 x 1/4 x 1-inch sticks) (SEE Note #1)
6 egg yolks
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
3/4 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper (plus another 3/4 teaspoons if you like spice!)
Salt
1 pound spaghetti
1. Set a large pot of water over high heat for the spaghetti.
2. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil and cook the pancetta, stirring, for 5 minutes or until it browns. Remove the pan from the heat. Transfer pancetta to a paper towel-lined small plate. Discard all but 2 tablespoons of fat. (If using bacon, brown it in a dry (oil-free) skillet until golden). Let the skillet cool off the stove top.
3. Meanwhile, once the water is boiling, add enough salt so that the water tastes salty like the ocean. Stir in the spaghetti and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or so, until it is tender but still has some bite.
4. To the cooled skillet, add the cheese, then the yolks on top of the cheese (so that they don’t touch the pan). Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and the pepper. Place the warm pancetta off to the side of the skillet, so that it doesn’t get wet.
5. When the pasta is al dente, dip a heat-proof measuring cup into the pot and remove 1 cup water; set aside. Drain the pasta through a strainer, without shaking the colander to hold the hot water onto the spaghetti. (I like to scoop the pasta out from the water and drop it right into the skillet.) Immediately toss the pasta into the skillet of eggs. Toss quickly using two large spoons to combine it all. To loosen the sauce, add 2 tablespoons of pasta cooking water, at a time, to the pasta. If it’s too watery, set the pasta over medium-low heat for 30 seconds, stirring, without letting the eggs curdle to help evaporate water and get the sauce to the right consistency (this takes practice…but the less you heat it the better.) Add more salt, pepper, and Parmesan, if you like, and serve immediately in warmed plates. Adapted from “Pane e Salute”, by Caleb Barber and Deirdre Heekin.
Note #1 I like my carbonara with 1 1/2 teaspoons grated black pepper. But my kids prefer it with less spicy, so I start with 3/4 teaspoon, and add more to my portion at the table.
Note #2 You can sear the guanciale, pancetta or bacon in a separate skillet if you don’t have time to wait for the skillet to cool down.
