Spaghetti a la Carbonara

Spaghetti a la Carbonara was one of the first dinners I ever made for Matt. It was his 22nd birthday and I decided to take him on a picnic to Serra Retreat in Malibu. This dish is one of his very favorites from Italy, so I figured I would give it a shot and surprise him. The result was a VERY greasy, but tasty, pasta that left you feeling like you had just eaten a bowling ball. That recipe, as well as many variations, called for you to add the fat rendered from the pancetta at the end in order to cook the eggs. And heavy cream. We wondered why we felt so gross.

This recipe is my tried-and-true latest rendition of that meal. Attempting to be of a more health-conscious mindset, I have omitted the rendered fat, and use either half and half or lowfat milk (depending on my mood and refrigerator stock—milk produces only a slightly thinner consistency which can be compensated for with more cheese). Make sure to add the egg mixture while the pasta is still hot—you want to actually cook the eggs with the heat of the pasta.

Matt requests this dish all the time now that we can eat it and not feel like breathing, walking, and talking, balls of grease. And I often have the ingredients in the fridge. Bacon will work if you don't have pancetta, I have even crisped up prosciutto to very good results. The recipe is quite flexible.

Spaghetti a la Carbonara

1 pound pancetta, diced into 1-inch cubes
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 eggs, at room temperature
1/2 cup half and half or milk, at room temperature
1 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1 pound dried spaghetti

Heat a large saute pan, until hot. Add pancetta and saute until golden brown and crispy, about 5 minutes. Season with black pepper and remove pan from heat and drain any rendered fat.

In a large pot, bring salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente, about 8 to 10 minutes.

While the pasta is cooking, beat the eggs and cream together in a medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in Parmesan, reserving 2 tablespoons for garnish.

Drain the pasta. Do not rinse; you want to retain the pasta's natural starches so that the sauce will stick. While the pasta is still hot, add the browned pancetta and mix well. Add the cream mixture and coat the pasta completely. It's important to work quickly while the pasta is still warm so that the cream mixture will cook, but not curdle. Top with remaining Parmesan and serve.

Serves 4.