April 10, 2011 Pasta Carbonara

Pasta Carbonara
Ingredients:
3 large eggs
2 ozs. Pecorino Romano cheese, grated (about 1 cup) (I've always used parmesan though)
2 Tbs. heavy cream
½ lb. thick-cut bacon, cut into ½ inch pieces (ok, the recipe technically calls for .5 lb, but we like it closer to .75 lb)
1 shallot, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp. fresh coarse ground pepper
½ cup dry white wine
1 Tbs. salt
1 lb. spaghetti

Preparation:

1. Bring 4 quarts water to a boil in a large pot for the pasta. Whisk the eggs, Pecorino Romano, and cream together in a medium bowl; set aside.
2. Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl with a slotted spoon. Pour off all but 2 Tbs. of the bacon fat. Add the shallot, if using, and sauté about 3 minutes, then add the garlic and pepper to the skillet and cook over medium heat until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Slowly whisk the garlic mixture into the egg mixture.
3. Add the wine to the skillet and simmer over medium heat, scraping the bottom of the pan to remove browned bits, until reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Slowly whisk the wine mixture into the egg mixture.
4. Meanwhile, add the salt and the pasta to the boiling water. Cook, stirring often, until the pasta is al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta and return it to the pot. Immediately pour the egg mixture over the pasta and toss to combine with 1⁄2 cup of the reserved cooking water. Add the bacon and thin the sauce with the remaining cooking water as necessary. Garnish with the basil and serve immediately.
Notes: Curdled eggs will ruin your carbonara. To prevent this from happening, whisk constantly when adding the hot ingredients to the egg mixture. Pecorino Romano has a sharper flavor compared to Parmigiano Reggiano, but you can use it in a pinch. Pecorino also gives it a creamier texture.