Carbonara

Ingredients

• 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

Method

1. Bring water to a boil, salt it, then add spaghetti and simmer on high for about 8 minutes until noodles have just a bit of crunch.
2. Preheat a large heavy-bottomed pot over low heat, add olive oil, then add bacon. Allow to render and brown for around 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. In a separate bowl, mix together cheeses and eggs.
4. When bacon is rendered and golden, remove it from the pot, reduce heat to medium low, add bacon grease back into the pot, then add black pepper. Fry black pepper and stir with a wooden spoon, scraping up bacon fond.
5. Ladle about 300mL/1.5 cups of pasta water into the bacon pot and deglaze.
6. Transfer cooked spaghetti into the bacon pot, saving additional pasta water for later adjustments.
7. Stir 100mL/.5c of pasta water with the egg and cheese mixture.
8. Add 100mL/.5c of additional pasta water into the spaghetti pot and stir. Simmer pasta in shallow water for about 90 seconds.
9. Taste the pasta; it should be al dente. Remove from heat.
10. Stir in the rendered bacon, then add the egg/cheese mixture and stir very well until cheese melts.
11. If needed, return the pot to low heat, stirring constantly until the sauce is velvety and creamy.
12. Top with a pinch of aged parmesan and black pepper, then serve.