Pasta Carbonara

 

• 1 large egg and 1 large yolk, room temperature 
• 1 clove garlic, minced 
• 1 ounce (about 1/3 packed cup) grated Parmesan 
• Salt and Coarsely ground black pepper to taste 
• 2 Tbsp water 
• 2 ounces of pancetta or bacon, diced 
• 6 ounces spaghetti

1.  Place a large pot of lightly salted water (no more than 1 tablespoon salt) over high heat, and bring to a boil.
2.  In a mixing bowl, whisk together the egg, yolk, garlic, and Parmesan. Season with a pinch of salt and generous black pepper.
3.  Meanwhile, heat large skillet over medium heat, add water and pork, and sauté until the fat just renders, on the edge of crispness but not hard. Remove from heat and set aside.
4.  Add pasta to the water and boil until a bit firmer than al dente. Just before pasta is ready, reheat pork in skillet, if needed. Place a stainless steel mixing bowl under colander, then drain pasta and let the draining pasta water heat the bowl.  Discard all but 1/4 C of the water, setting that aside, and use the empty heated bowl to combine all ingredients.  Stir for a minute or so.  Add some reserved pasta water if needed for creaminess. Serve immediately, dressing it with a bit of additional grated cheese and pepper.

 Robyn's notes: I have been working on my recipe for Pasta Carbonara for at least a year and a half.  The first time I made it, following a recipe from a well-regarded publication, I got pasta in scrambled egg.  So I did some research, and have been making slight tweaks to my recipe, trying to get it perfect.  I use very little of the pasta water, generally, but that's going to depend on taste and local conditions.  If desired, after the pork fat has cooled slightly, whisk one or two tablespoons, in a slow stream, into the egg/cheese/garlic mixture.

**** 4 Stars: Very Good. Enjoyed by us both, I will make this frequently