Truffle Udon Carbonara Recipe

Render bacon

Place a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the bacon lardons (6 oz) and cook, stirring occasionally, until the fat renders and bacon is crisp-tender, about 6–8 minutes.

If the pan becomes excessively greasy, carefully spoon off and reserve 1 tablespoon of bacon fat in the pan; discard the rest or reserve for another use.

Add 1 tsp neutral oil if the pan is very dry, then add the minced shallot and sauté for 1–2 minutes until translucent. Add the minced garlic and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant, taking care not to burn.

Reduce heat to low and keep the bacon mixture warm in the pan while you prepare the sauce and noodles.

Prepare truffle dashi cream

In a small saucepan, combine 1 cup heavy cream and 1 cup dashi stock. Warm over medium-low heat until it just begins to steam (do not boil). Stir in 1 tsp truffle oil and 1 tsp truffle paste (if using). Season lightly with 1 tsp salt. Keep warm on the lowest heat setting.

Temper egg yolks

Place 3 large egg yolks in a medium bowl and whisk gently. Slowly ladle about 1/4 cup of the warm truffle-dashi cream into the yolks while whisking constantly to temper (this prevents curdling). Continue adding another 1/4 cup gradually until the yolks are warmed and incorporated.

Pour the tempered yolk mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining truffle-dashi cream and stir over very low heat until the sauce slightly thickens and coats the back of a spoon, about 2–3 minutes. Do not let it boil. Remove from heat and keep warm.

Cook udon

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add 12 oz fresh udon and cook according to package directions (typically 2–3 minutes) until just tender. Reserve 3/4 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the udon.

Add 1 tbsp unsalted butter to the same sauté pan with the warm bacon and aromatics over low heat. Add the drained udon to the pan and toss to combine, coating the noodles with bacon fat and butter for about 30 seconds.

Remove the pan from heat. Pour the warm truffle-dashi cream and tempered yolk sauce over the udon. Toss vigorously, adding reserved pasta water a tablespoon at a time as needed to achieve a silky, glossy sauce that clings to the noodles (use about 2–4 tbsp, or up to 1/4 cup). The residual heat will gently cook the yolks and thicken the sauce without scrambling.

Stir in 3 tbsp grated Pecorino Romano and 1 tbsp grated Parmesan (if using) until melted and incorporated. Adjust seasoning with additional salt if necessary and more cracked black pepper (start with 1 tsp).

Plate the udon carbonara, finish with a small drizzle (about 1/4–1/2 tsp) of truffle oil on each portion for aroma, scatter 1 tbsp sliced chives over the top, and a final crack of black pepper.