Spaghetti carbonara

So yummy, you might get angry

A couple of weeks ago, I saw an episode of America's Test Kitchen where they made spaghetti carbonara. Those wizards made it look so easy, creamy, and delicious (all those "Mmmm" sounds) and I've been dying to make it ever since.



I don't know if this is the exact carbonara from the Test Kitchen pros; since you have to be a Cook's Illustrated subscriber to access old recipes, I had to rely on another blogger for the specifics. I switched up the cheese proportions to make it a bit milder, but the technique is the same — and the technique is key! 

If you don't have the technique and timing right, you risk scrambling the eggs. Eggs and cheese mixed with starchy pasta water is what makes carbonara so creamy — no heavy cream here! I've tried other recipes that included heavy cream and I never could get the consistency right; the sauce refused to stick to the pasta. But this was different. This was foolproof on the first try. 

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SPAGHETTI CARBONARA

WHAT YOU'LL NEED:
1 pound spaghetti 
7 slices of bacon, cut into 1/2-in. pieces
3 large eggs plus 1 large egg yolk
3/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese, packed
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, packed
3 cloves minced garlic OR 1 1/2 tsp jarred garlic
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
extra Parmesan for topping

WHAT YOU'LL DO:
1. Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until the fat is rendered (brown, but not too crispy), about 8-9 minutes. In the last 30-60 seconds, add the garlic to the bacon and stir. Line a plate with paper towels and spoon the bacon bits onto the towels to drain the grease. From the skillet, spoon 1 TBS bacon fat into a medium bowl.

2. Whisk grated cheeses, eggs & yolk, and pepper into the 1 TBS of bacon fat until combined. *Note: When I say the cheese should be "packed," I mean I didn't just loosely measure the grated cheeses, but rather gently pressed each into their measuring cups — like packing brown sugar.

3. Meanwhile, start a pot of boiling water. Add salt to the water, and cook spaghetti until al dente, according to the package directions. Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of pasta water. Once drained, place pasta in a large bowl.

4. Slowly whisk half a cup of the reserved pasta water into the cheese and egg mixture, then add the bacon bits. Pour the mixture over the pasta and toss to coat. Add more reserved pasta water as needed to adjust the sauce's consistency. *Note: I only used 1/2 cup of pasta water, but saved the other half to rehydrate any leftovers.

5. Transfer the pasta to a serving bowl and let stand a few minutes. Sprinkle with extra Parmesan cheese to taste, and serve it up hot! *Note: I found the pasta cooled relatively quickly (probably due to all the tossing!), so make sure everyone is good and ready to eat.

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When my mom took her first bite, the "Mmmm" sound was noticeably tinged with anger, as if to say "How DARE you be this delicious, carbonara!" And yet, even after seconds and all that bacon and cheese, none of us felt the need to loosen our belts. This dish is creamy, but not heavy. It's the perfect answer to your ooey-gooey pasta cravings.