It’s Primi or nothing!

Pasta Carbonara with asparagus

Serves 4 as a first course

Classic Carbonara is rich, decadent and delicious. Sweet pork, eggs and salty, sharp cheese blend with starchy pasta cooking water to make a creamy sauce. Fresh asparagus gives it a little spring lightness.

Ingredients:

• 1 oz Pecorino Romano cheese, grated, about 1/3 cup

• 2 oz Parmesan cheese, grated, about 2/3 cup

• 2 whole eggs and 2 egg yolks

• 2 tbs olive oil

• 1/4 lb Guanciale or bacon cut in 1/4” by 1” pieces

• 1 lb asparagus, ends snapped off and cut into 1” pieces

• 1 lb Bucatini pasta or Spaghetti

Directions:

• In a medium bowl, mix together Pecorino and Parmesan cheeses, eggs and egg yolks. Whisk to combine.

• Bring a 4 quart pot of water to the boil.

• Warm oil in a 12” skillet over medium heat. Add Guanciale and cook until fat is rendered and pork is crisping up but not hard. Remove to paper towels, leaving the fat in the pan.

• While Guanciale cooks, blanch the asparagus: Heavily salt the pasta cooking liquid, and add the asparagus. Cook for 1 minute and remove to a small bowl with a slotted spoon. Reserve.

• Return the water to boiling and add the pasta. Cook until just shy of al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking liquid and drain the pasta.

• Return the skillet with the pork fat to medium-low heat. Add the pasta and toss to warm through and coat with the fat, about 1 minute. Transfer to the bowl with eggs and cheese and toss until it forms a creamy sauce, adding a bit of the reserved pasta cooking liquid as needed. Season generously with black pepper and toss with asparagus to serve.

TIP: You are correct, these eggs are not fully cooked. Make sure you get your eggs from a trusted source. I have also done a version with double the cheese and no eggs just in case this feels a bit out of your comfort zone.