Easy Carbonara in 15 Minutes

RECIPE

(makes 2 portions) 

• 225g/8oz very thick cut bacon, diced into small batons
• Olive oil
• 340g/12oz spaghetti 
• 50g or 1/2c aged parmesan, feather shredded
• 50g or 1/2c pecorino romano, feather shredded
• 1 egg + 3 egg yolks
• 2g or 1teas ground black pepper
• Reserved pasta water 

DIRECTIONS

1. To cook the pasta, bring water to a boil. I’m  using a 12” saute for this for faster boiling. Salt water then add spaghetti. Simmer on  high for about 8min. When done, noodles should have just a bit of crunch in the middle. 
2. To cook the bacon and prepare the sauce, preheat a large heavy-bottomed pot over low. Add a bit of olive oil to the pot followed by bacon. Allow to render and brown for around 8min, stirring occasionally. 
3. In a separate bowl, mix together cheeses and eggs. 
4. When bacon is rendered and golden, remove it from the pot, and reduce heat to medium low, adding any bacon grease that comes with it back into the pot followed by black pepper. Fry black pepper and stir with wooden spoon, scraping up bacon fond. 
5. At this point, ladle in about 300mL/1.5c pasta water into bacon pot and continue to deglaze up bacon fond. Transfer spaghetti into bacon pot (remembering to save additional pasta water to adjust sauce later). 
6. Stir 100mL/.5c of pasta water together with the egg and cheese mixture. 
7. Add 100mL/.5c of additional pasta water into the spaghetti pot and stir. Simmer pasta in shallow water for about 90 seconds. Taste pasta. It should be al dente.  Remove from heat and stir in rendered bacon. Add egg/cheese mixture and stir very well until cheese melts. If needed, return pot to low heat, stirring constantly until cheese is melted and sauce is velvety and creamy. Don’t take it too far or sauce will become gloppy. 
8. Top with a pinch of aged parm and black pepper and serve.