Bucatini alla Carbonara

• servings: 8 servings
• active time: 10 minutes
• total time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 garlic cloves (minced, optional)

10 ounces guanciale (bacon or pancetta, diced)

3 large eggs

3 egg yolks

1 cup freshly grated pecorino

ground black pepper

¼ teaspoon salt

1 pound dry bucatini

½ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (or Pecorino Romano Cheese)

Directions

Warm the serving bowl: Preheat the oven to 200°F. Place a large ovenproof serving bowl or casserole dish inside to heat. You’ll use this warmed bowl to toss the pasta and sauce.

Cook the guanciale: Heat the olive oil in a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the guanciale (or pancetta/bacon) and cook until browned and crisp, about 8–10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook just until fragrant, do not let it brown. Remove from heat and set aside.

Make the egg mixture: In a medium bowl, whisk the whole eggs and egg yolks. Stir in the Pecorino, a generous amount of black pepper, and ¼ teaspoon salt. Set aside.

Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the bucatini and cook until al dente according to package directions. Before draining, reserve ½ cup of the pasta water. Drain well.

Toss it all together: Transfer the hot pasta to the warmed serving bowl. Add the guanciale and toss well. Off the heat, pour in the egg and cheese mixture, tossing quickly with two forks or tongs until the pasta is glossy and coated. Add small splashes of the reserved pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce.

Sprinkle with Parmigiano-Reggiano and more black pepper. Serve immediately.

Nutrition

• Calories: 411 kcal
• Total Fat: 25 g
• Saturated Fat: 9 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
• Cholesterol: 216 mg
• Sodium: 2233 mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 20 g
• Dietary Fiber: 1 g
• Total Sugars: 1 g
• Protein: 25 g