It's all in the emulsion.... Bring rich eggs, salty cheese, warm pork fat and black pepper together with pasta and pasta water for this delicious, traditional Roman pasta. Our friends at Trenchers Farmhouse share this foolproof roadmap to restaurant-worthy carbonara.
Ingredients:
1 Package of Trenchers Farmhouse Bucatini Pasta
6 egg yolks
1 whole egg
1.5 cups grated pecorino romano or Creek Valley gouda
1.5 tbsp freshly ground black pepper
4 oz pancetta or bacon
1/2 bunch of chives (optional)
Salt, to taste
Prep the ingredients: place the yolks in a small bowl and add the whole egg. Whisk together with 1 cup of grated cheese, set aside.
Dice the pancetta into fine pieces, or use the pre-cubed.
Grind or crush the black pepper.
In a sauté pan over medium heat, cook the pancetta until golden brown and slightly crisp. Turn the heat to low and add the black pepper to toast for another minute or 2. Allow to cool slightly.
Once the pancetta is only slightly warm to the touch, whisk it gradually into the eggs until it is a smooth homogeneous mixture.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil, season the water well.
Cook the fresh pasta for 1 minute from al dente.
Drain the pasta and reserve 3 cups of pasta water (the key to great bucatini is all in the pasta water).
Bring 2 cups of pasta water to a boil and reduce by ½, then add the bucatini, stir and turn the heat off.
Still with the heat off, using a wooden spoon and stirring swiftly, stream the egg mixture into the pan. Keep stirring slowly until the sauce just thickens to coat the noodles and the back of a spoon.
Serve with crispy pancetta pieces, a generous tbsp of grated cheese, and fresh chives, if using.
Buon Appetito!
