Spaghetti Carbonara

I have to admit that at first, spaghetti carbonara freaked me out. It has raw egg in it and the first time I made it, I made it for myself and my boyfriend. What if the raw egg killed us? Or worse: what if the raw egg harmed us just enough that he would forever remember my carbonara as the closest he’s ever come to death?

Fear not. After much googling, I confirmed that the heat of the pasta you mix with the raw egg renders it raw no more. It actually continues to cook the egg while you serve the dish. It’s perfectly safe and perfectly delicious. Read on for the recipe!

What you’ll need

Serves two

• Half a pound of pasta (the fresher the pasta the better – you can find how I make fresh pasta here)
• 2 eggs – yolks only
• 1/2 cup grated pecorino romano
• 1/2 cup parmesean
• 3 oz. of pancetta (or guanciale – whichever you prefer)
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• Salt, pepper, parsley

How to make it

1. Begin heating the meat over medium high heat in a skillet. You don’t need any fat to cook the meat in – the meat is fatty enough. Heat through until the fat renders.
2. Bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil and toss in your pasta. When al dente, remove from heat but do. not. drain.
3. Transfer your pasta to your pan with the meat and turn down to medium heat. Add your minced garlic.
4. Take a cup of pasta water and slowly add it to the pan as you layer in some of your cheese. Mix constantly to create a creamy texture.
5. Add parsley, salt and pepper to taste.
6. Remove from heat and plate on two separate dishes.
7. But wait – where’s the raw egg I spent so much time talk about? Right here. Add the egg yolk to the top of each pasta mountain. Lightly drizzle hot pasta water over the yolk for a little extra cooking.
8. Take a photo, then stir, and eat!