Spicy Carbonara

Name: Spicy Carbonara
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4-6
Ingredients: 2 tablespoon olive oil; One 4-ounce package of pancetta (or equal amount of bacon, sliced into ½-inch cubes); 1 medium onion, finely chopped; 2 eggs plus 4 egg yolks; 1 teaspoon salt; 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon Vinny R’s Italian seasoning, divided; 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (adjust to taste); ⅓ cup shredded Pecorino Romano cheese, plus more for serving; ⅓ cup shredded Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving; 1 pound spaghetti; 1 cup frozen peas; Freshly ground black pepper, for finishing

Spaghetti Carbonara in white bowl with parmesan cheese

Like the best Italian dishes, Spaghetti Carbonara transforms on a few simple ingredients–eggs, bacon, Parmesan, and spaghetti–into an extraordinary meal. For this dish, you’ll want all the components at the ready, because the magic happens when the hot, cooked noodles are pulled from the pot and tossed with the mixture of raw eggs and cheese. Scooping the pasta from the water with a sieve (instead of draining it in a colander) provides extra starchy moisture to create a velvety sauce. Our Italian seasoning infuses the dish with aromatic herbs and red pepper flakes bring just the right heat. Fresh peas provide sweetness that balances the peppery bacon.

Spicy Carbonara

Rated 5.0 stars by 1 users

Servings

4-6

Prep Time

15 minutes

Cook Time

15 minutes

You can find four-ounce packages of pancetta, Italian bacon, at Trader Joe’s, and in the cured meat section of supermarkets. (If you can’t track it down, regular bacon works just fine). Note that you’ll reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water before draining that pot, but this is merely back-up–you might not need more than a splash of it to achieve a creamy texture.

Ingredients

2 tablespoon olive oil
One 4-ounce package of pancetta (or equal amount of bacon, sliced into ½-inch cubes)
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 eggs plus 4 egg yolks
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon Vinny R’s Italian seasoning, divided
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (adjust to taste)
⅓ cup shredded Pecorino Romano cheese, plus more for serving
⅓ cup shredded Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
1 pound spaghetti
1 cup frozen peas
Freshly ground black pepper, for finishing

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Directions

Heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pancetta and cook, stirring occasionally, until it’s lightly browned but not completely crisp. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the pancetta to a paper towel-lined plate (don’t rinse skillet).
Add the onion, salt, 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened but not browned, about 8-10 minutes. Add the reserved pancetta to the onion mixture and turn off the heat.
Meanwhile, combine the eggs, egg yolks, remaining teaspoon of Italian seasoning in a bowl and lightly whisk. Add the cheeses and whisk again.
Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta to al dente, according to package directions. A minute before the pasta is ready, scoop out a cup of the cooking water, and add the peas to the pasta. Heat the onion mixture over low heat.
Use a fine sieve to scoop the pasta and peas from the water and into the skillet with the onion mixture. Use tongs and toss to combine. Give the eggs another whisk and pour them over the hot noodles; use tongs to vigorously toss the noodles until they’re coated. Add the reserved pasta cooking water as needed to obtain a creamy texture.
Serve immediately, with a final dusting of black pepper, a pinch of Italian seasoning and additional grated cheese.