I photographed and wrote up this recipe for spaghetti alla carbonara thinking I would share it as an easy Valentine’s Day dinner. And it is, but really it’s just a great weeknight meal – no holiday necessary – because it comes together in under 30 minutes and calls for common ingredients, most of which are pantry and fridge staples.

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If you’ve never made spaghetti alla carbonara at home, you might be surprised to learn the dish’s creaminess doesn’t come from cream but, rather, a combination of bacon fat (or more traditionally, pancetta or guanciale), starchy pasta water, egg whites, and Parmigiano cheese. The transformation that occurs when these ingredients combine is impressive and takes place with just a minute or two of whisking.

The creamy pasta is spiked with crispy, salty morsels of bacon and bright, fresh flecks of parsley. The crown jewel, though, is the brilliant, rich egg yolk gently nestled in the pasta, waiting to be broken and fused with the other flavors.

Spaghetti alla carbonara is both simple and sophisticated; special occasion and everyday; romantic and kid-friendly (Zane loves it!). So, here’s the recipe, whether you make on Valentine’s Day dinner or keep it in your back pocket for a busy weeknight.

Spaghetti alla Carbonara

1 lb spaghetti
1/4 c extra virgin olive oil
1/2 lb (8 oz) bacon
6 eggs, separated
3/4 c freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1/2 c chopped flat-leaf parsley
salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook to al dente, 8-10 minutes. Set aside 1 c of the cooking water and drain the rest.

2. Meanwhile, add the olive oil and bacon to a large skillet over medium heat. Fry the bacon until browned and crispy on both sides. Remove the bacon and turn off the heat. Once cool enough to handle, break the bacon into small pieces. Whisk in 2/3 c of the pasta water into the bacon fat.

3. Lightly whisk the egg whites for just a minute to break them up. Slowly pour them into the bacon fat/pasta water mixture in the skillet, whisking constantly. Turn the heat back on to medium and continue whisking until the mixture lightens and thickens a little. Add the pasta and cheese and toss to combine. If the pasta seems too dry add a little more pasta water to loosen it up. Turn off the heat. Add the bacon, parsley, and freshly ground pepper and toss to evenly distribute. Taste for seasoning; you may not need to add any salt as the cheese and bacon are salty.

4. Immediately divide the spaghetti between anywhere from 4-6 bowls. Make a small well in each bowl of pasta and add an egg yolk to each “nest”. For 4, there will be 2 extra yolks, which you can add to someone’s serving or save for another use (we use all of our yolks!). Serve promptly, instructing guests to break the yolk and stir it into the pasta.

Serves 4-6