When it comes to staples in our house we have quite a few that we rotate between. One that makes an appearance almost weekly is my Carbonara. Usually I make with with fresh ricotta but this weekend I decided to mix it up a little bit. We nixed the ricotta and added a poached egg on top. It was a huge hit in our house. I think we will be making it like this more often. Hope you and your family enjoys this easy recipe! Bon Appétit!
Carbonara with Poached Egg
Ingredients
1/2 pound fusilli
8 slices of pancetta (thinly sliced)
1 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 large eggs (1 whole eggs, plus 1 separated for pasta)
1 cup of peas (frozen or fresh)
1/2 cup freshly grated pecorino romano, plus more for serving
1/2 cup freshly grated parmigiano reggiano, plus extra for serving
kosher salt, to taste
1 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
Poached Eggs
allocate how many guests for poached eggs
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
a pinch of sea salt
Directions
1. Bring 6 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot and add 3 tablespoons kosher salt. Drop the pasta into the boiling water.
2. Slice pancetta into one inch pieces. In sauté pan with extra-virgin olive oil, place pancetta and cook over medium-high heat until the pancetta has rendered some of its fat and is lightly browned.
3. Crack 1 egg into large serving bowl.
4. Whisk the egg well. Add the grated Pecorino Romano and whisk together.
5. Take a ladle of beaten eggs and stir in pancetta and a small ladle of pasta water. Working quickly, stir the egg pancetta mixture and as soon as the eggs start to thicken and set aside.
6. Meanwhile, place a few inches of water in a pot and bring to a rolling boil over medium high heat. Add a few pinches of salt and turn down to a simmer. Crack eggs into small ramekins or bowls (this makes them easier to get into the water). Add the white wine vinegar to the boiling water. With a large metal spoon, swirl the water clockwise to get it moving in a circle. While the water is moving, gently pour egg into the middle of the circle. Cook for three minutes. Remove from water and place on a paper-towel-lined plate to drain.
7. When pasta is al dente, drain the pasta (reserving the pasta water). Add the pasta to the egg mixture, stirring and tossing well to coat approx 30 seconds. Stir in the Parmigiano Reggiano and mix well again. Add the pepper and stir along with another ladle of pasta water to loosen the sauce a bit and further cook the eggs.
8. Place one poached onto each serving of pasta. Add more of the grated cheeses and pepper on top. Enjoy!
Photo and recipe by Caitlin Flemming