“carbonara” Recipe
radiatore, double smoked bacon, soft egg, black pepper, pecorino
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Ingredients
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Pasta & Sauce Base
Egg & Cheese Emulsion
Finishing & Garnish
Method
Pasta & Sauce Base
- 1
Bring pasta water to a boil
In a large pot, bring 4 L (about 1 gallon) of water to a rolling boil. Add 1 tablespoon coarse kosher salt once boiling.
- 2
Cook radiatore
Add 12 oz radiatore to the boiling water and cook until just shy of al dente (about 2 minutes less than package instructions). Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
- 3
Reserve pasta water and drain
Before draining, ladle out and reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water. Drain the pasta thoroughly and set aside.
- 4
Render bacon
While the pasta cooks, heat a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tsp olive oil and 8 oz double smoked bacon pieces. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is browned and crisp at the edges but still slightly tender (about 8–10 minutes). Reduce heat if the bacon is browning too quickly to allow fat to render. Remove from heat and leave the fat in the pan.
Egg & Cheese Emulsion
- 5
Prepare egg-cheese mixture
In a medium bowl, whisk together 3 large egg yolks and 1 whole large egg until smooth. Add 1 cup finely grated Pecorino Romano and 2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper. Whisk to a thick paste.
- 6
Temper the eggs
To avoid scrambling, slowly add 1/3 cup of the reserved warm pasta water to the egg-cheese mixture while whisking continuously to temper the eggs and loosen the mixture into a pourable emulsion.
- 7
- 8
Finish the carbonara sauce
Remove the skillet from the heat. Immediately pour the tempered egg-cheese emulsion over the hot pasta and toss vigorously with tongs or two spoons to coat each piece. Add additional reserved pasta water, a few tablespoons at a time, as needed to achieve a silky, glossy sauce that clings to the pasta. Use about 1/2–3/4 cup of reserved water total, keeping some back if you prefer a thicker sauce.
- 9
Adjust seasoning
Taste and season very lightly with up to 1/2 tsp sea salt, remembering that Pecorino and bacon are already salty. Add additional freshly cracked black pepper to taste (use the remaining 1/2 tsp).
Finishing & Garnish
- 10
Plate and finish with cheese
Divide the carbonara among warmed bowls or plates. Top each portion with extra 1–2 tbsp shaved or grated Pecorino Romano.
- 11
Optional soft egg
If you want a soft egg on top (as in the menu description), soft-poach or slow-cook an egg: bring a small pot of water to a gentle simmer, add a splash of vinegar, crack a large egg into a ramekin and gently slide into simmering water. Cook 5–6 minutes for a very soft set white and runny yolk. Remove with a slotted spoon, drain, and place one egg atop each portion. Break the yolk into the pasta before eating to enrich the sauce.
- 12
Final pepper grind and serve
Finish each plate with another generous crack of black pepper. Serve immediately while hot.
