On a recent trip to Charleston, I was reminded of how much I love the simplicity and flavor of a carbonara at a wonderful little restaurant named Two Boroughs Larder. With this inspiration in mind I was off to my own kitchen to create a home cooked carbonara for my family. A bonus – we get to use farm eggs fresh from my family’s farm. Remember you can also find fresh farm eggs at your local farmer’s market. The taste and even the brightness of the yolk is superior to anything you can find in the grocery store.
Simple Carbonara Recipe
1 lb dry linguini or bucatini or spaghetti or pappardelle, etc
Salt
4 oz pancetta or bacon, cubed (I love using bacon over pancetta)
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
Handful cherry tomatoes, cut in half
2 large farm eggs
1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Freshly ground black pepper
Fresh basil leaves
Directions:
Prepare the sauce while the pasta is cooking to ensure that the pasta will be hot and ready when the sauce is finished, so that the heat of the pasta cooks the raw eggs in the sauce.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add the pasta and cook for about 10 minutes or until al dente (tender, yet firm.) Drain the pasta well, reserving 1/2 cup of the starchy cooking water to use in the sauce.
Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the pancetta or bacon and saute for about 3 minutes, until the bacon is crisp and the fat is rendered. Toss the garlic into the fat and saute for less than 1 minute to soften.
Add the hot, drained pasta to the pan and toss for 2 minutes to coat the strands in the bacon fat. Toss in tomatoes.
Beat the eggs and Parmesan together in a mixing bowl, stirring well to prevent lumps. Stir in 1/2 cup reserved pasta water and whip.
Remove the pan from the heat and pour the egg/cheese mixture into the pasta, whisking quickly until the eggs thicken, but do not scramble. Season the carbonara with freshly ground black pepper (and salt if needed – the saltiness of the pasta and bacon may provide enough salt.) Mound the pasta carbonara into bowls and garnish with fresh basil. Sprinkle with more cheese if desired.