Spaghetti alla Carbonara

What's not to like about bacon (in this case, pancetta or guancale) 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 olive oil tossed with beaten eggs, grated cheese, black pepper and hot spaghetti. I adapted this version from Serious Eats, adjusting some of the ingredient portions. My addition of minced garlic is not traditional but adds a nice flavor. Also not traditional is truffle oil, but you can add a little splash to your dish, if desired. Buon appetito!

Ingredients:
1 lb. dried spaghetti (linguine is a good substitute)

4 tbsp. olive oil
8 oz. pancetta or bacon, cut into small dice
1 clove garlic, minced (optional)

6 large egg yolks plus 2 whole eggs
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese (or 1/4 cup grated parmesan + 1/4 cup Pecorino Romano)
1 tsp. coarse ground black pepper 

1-2 tsp kosher salt

GARNISH:
Chopped fresh Italian parsley
Extra grated parmesan cheese

Extra coarse ground black pepper

Truffle oil (optional)

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, if using, and turn off heat. Remove the pan from the burner.

2. Whisk the egg yolks, grated cheese and black pepper together in a small bowl until well 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 1/2 to 1 cup of the pasta water to the pasta if the sauce is too thick. 

6. Taste and season with 1-2 tsp of kosher salt, as needed. 

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

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

Saute diced pancetta in 3 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 pancetta.  

Add the egg yolk-cheese & pepper mixture to the hot pasta and toss well to ensure the eggs are cooked through and a creamy sauce is produced. 

If the sauce is too thick, thin out with 1/2 to 1 cup hot pasta water. 

Garnish each serving with chopped fresh parsley, grated parmesan cheese and extra pepper, if desired. A little dash of truffle oil is also nice, but not traditional.