Time: 30 minutes
Feeds: 2 people
Ingredients:
- 8 oz spaghetti
- 5 oz panchetta
- 1 whole egg & 3 egg yolks
- 3-4 oz grated parmesan cheese
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- Salt & black pepper to taste
Directions: Place a pot of water on the stove first thing so you can get the water boiling for the noodles. In the meantime, set a large skillet on the stove as well and while the burner is still off, add the pancetta and break apart, moving the pancetta into a single layer. Turn the heat on to low and slowly start to render the fat out of the pancetta.
In a small bowl, add the whole egg and 3 egg yolks. Then add the grated parmesan cheese. You should use between 3-4 ounces of cheese for this mixture. Once everything is combined, you should be looking for something that is almost a paste but still has a little bit of run to it. Adjust the cheese accordingly to get the right texture. Add a bunch of black pepper and the garlic powder to the egg and cheese mixture. The garlic powder is not traditional but I really like it as it adds a nice umami to the dish and makes it so you don’t have to add as much salt. I always wait to salt the carbonara until it’s all the way done because of the pancetta. I do salt the water the pasta is boiling in for some seasoning but sometimes it’s saltier than others so it’s better to salt once you’ve had a taste.
Once the water is boiling, season with salt and add the pasta. Cook according to the directions on the box. At this point, you can turn the heat up a little bit on the pancetta so it can start to get brown and crispy. You never want to turn the heat up too high because the pancetta can burn and the fat has a fairly low smoke point. I always aim for about medium low. When the pasta is almost cooked and the pancetta is browned and crispy, turn off the heat but keep the pan on the burner. It’s important that the pan is still hot (or at least very warm) when the noodles are done.
This is the point of the recipe where things start to move quickly. When the pasta is finished cooking, use tongs to transfer the noodles directly into the skillet with the pancetta. Be careful when adding the noodles as sometimes the pasta water going into the fat can cause popping. Stir the noodles around to coat them in the pancetta fat. Remove from the stove and immediately add the egg and cheese mixture stirring quickly and constantly so the eggs don’t scramble. You’re looking for a smooth and velvety coating on the pasta. Add some pasta water if necessary to get the sauce to the right consistency for your liking. Let sit for 3-5 minutes for the sauce to come together.
Before serving, taste the carbonara to see if it needs any extra salt or pepper. Once seasoned accordingly, serve with additional parmesan on top if desired.