Linguine alla Carbonara

What's not to like about bacon and eggs, especially when you combine them to make a simple yet super delicious creamy sauce over pasta tossed with a liberal dose of grated parmesan and cracked black pepper? I don't know much about the origin of this pasta dish, other than that it is from Rome and was probably created sometime in the mid 20th century. But, no matter - all I care is that I can whip it up in no time and it tastes pretty damn good!

The classic version usually consists of guanciale (pancetta or bacon are good substitutes), cooked in a bit of fat (e.g., olive oil), beaten eggs, grated cheese (Asiago or Parmesan), and chopped fresh Italian parsley tossed with hot spaghetti. There are other less traditional iterations, of course, with some adding a bit of cream and sautéed minced garlic. My pasta of choice is linguine, and I garnish each serving with a little sprinkling of fresh lemon zest and chopped Italian parsley. Buon appetito!

Ingredients:
1 lb. dried linguine (feel free to substitute with spaghetti, fettuccine, or other pasta)
3-4 tbsp. olive oil
6 oz. pancetta or bacon, cut into 1/4 - 1/2" strips
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
4 large eggs
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
1-2 tsp. black pepper (according to your taste)

GARNISH:
1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
Grated parmesan cheese

Freshly grated lemon zest

1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the pancetta or bacon and cook until golden, about 5-6 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and turn off heat. Remove the pan from the burner.

2. Whisk the egg yolks, cream and parmesan together in a small bowl until just combined. Set aside.

3. Cook the pasta in salted water according to package instructions until just al dente (12-15 minutes). Turn off heat but do not drain.

5. Using tongs, remove the pasta from the hot water, shaking to remove excess water, and add to the pan of sautéed pancetta & garlic. Stir in the egg-cream-cheese mixture. Toss well to ensure that the hot pasta cooks the egg through and creates a creamy sauce. Add a ladle or two of the pasta water to the pasta if the sauce is too thick. 

6. Season liberally with about 1-2 tsp. black pepper. Taste and season with extra salt if needed (the pancetta or bacon usually impart enough salt to the pasta). 

7. Serve in individual serving dishes and garnish with chopped fresh parsley, lemon zest, and extra cheese, as desired. 

Whisk the eggs in a bowl, then stir in the cheese; set aside.

Saute bacon in 3-4 tbsp. olive oil over medium heat until just browned. Stir in the minced garlic, remove from heat and set aside.

Cook the pasta in salted water until al dente.

Use tongs to remove pasta (shaking to remove excess water) to the pan with the sautéed garlic and bacon.  

Stir in the egg yolk-cheese-cream mixture to the hot pasta and toss well to ensure the eggs are cooked through and a creamy sauce is produced. 

Season liberally with black pepper.

If the sauce is too thick, thin out with a ladle or two of the hot pasta water. 

Garnish each serving with fresh lemon zest (if desired), chopped fresh parsley, and grated parmesan cheese.