Best Carbonara Nytimes Recipes

SPRINGTIME SPAGHETTI CARBONARA

Steps:

• Heat a sauté pan over medium heat and add the bacon, cooking for about 5 minutes, until crispy. Transfer the cooked bacon with a slotted spoon to a paper towel and set aside. Return the pan with the rendered fat to the stove top for future use.
• Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Drop the peas into the water and cook them for 5 minutes. Transfer them to a strainer with a slotted spoon or a spider basket. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook for 10 minutes, or until al dente.
• While the pasta cooks, heat the bacon fat in the sauté pan over medium heat. Add the peas and asparagus, and sauté for about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in the basil, and set aside.
• Whisk together the eggs and milk. Have the egg mixture, vegetables and bacon ready to toss with very hot pasta.
• Quickly drain the pasta and transfer immediately to a large serving bowl. Pour the eggs and cheese on top of the pasta, and toss vigorously to coat the strands and gently cook the eggs, forming a creamy sauce. Add the vegetables and bacon, and continue tossing to incorporate them. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Portion the spaghetti on plates and ladle any sauce left in the bowl over each serving. Grate additional cheese on top if you like.

THE BEST CARBONARA

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat.
• Whisk together the eggs, yolks, Parmesan, Pecorino, pepper and butter if using in a large bowl until well combined.
• Add the pasta and cook as the label directs. Reserve 1 cup cooking water, then drain the pasta.
• Meanwhile, cook the pancetta in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp, about 8 minutes. Add the spaghetti and half the reserved pasta cooking water to the skillet and toss to combine.
• Add the egg mixture and toss to coat. Cook, tossing continuously to avoid scrambling the eggs, until the sauce is creamy, thinning it with the remaining pasta water if it becomes too thick (it should be saucy but not watery), about 1 minute.
• Divide the pasta among plates and sprinkle with more grated Parmesan.

SMOKY TOMATO CARBONARA

Steps:

• Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente.
• Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine eggs and egg yolks, cheese, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and whisk well.
• Heat a large skillet over medium. Add bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until starting to crisp, about 5 minutes. Pour off all but 3 tablespoons bacon grease (reserve any extra for another use). Add tomato paste and cook, stirring, until sizzling and starting to brown, about 1 minute. Add cherry tomatoes and cook, scraping up any browned bits, until softened and juices start to release, about 2 minutes. Remove skillet from heat.
• Drain pasta, reserving 1 cup pasta water. Return pasta to pot (off the heat) and add the bacon-tomato mixture. (If necessary, use 2 tablespoons of pasta water to stir up any browned bits on the bottom of the skillet.)
• While whisking constantly, slowly drizzle 1/2 cup of the hot pasta water into the beaten egg mixture until well blended. Slowly drizzle the tempered egg mixture into the pasta, tossing the pasta constantly and vigorously, until well incorporated and saucy. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle in more pasta water if a thinner consistency is desired.
• Serve in bowls with more cheese and black pepper.

SPAGHETTI ALLA CARBONARA

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta, and cook until al dente, about 7 to 9 minutes.
• Just before the pasta is cooked, fry the pancetta in a large skillet until it is crisp and golden brown, 5 to 6 minutes. Drain the pasta well, reserving 1/4 cup of the cooking water. Carefully pour it into the skillet, then add the pasta, and heat, shaking the pan, for 1 minute. Add the grated cheese, the egg whites and pepper, and toss until they are fully incorporated.
• Divide the pasta among 4 heated serving bowls, and make a nest in the center of each. Gently drop an egg yolk into each nest, season with additional black pepper, and grate additional cheese on top. Serve immediately.

ARTICHOKE CARBONARA

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook the pasta according to package instructions until al dente.
• While the pasta cooks, make the sauce: Cut the guanciale into 1/4-inch-thick slabs and then 1-inch-long strips. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to a large, deep skillet and heat over medium. Add the guanciale, reduce the heat to low and allow the guanciale to render until crisp, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Remove the guanciale from the skillet and reserve. Remove 1 tablespoon of the guanciale drippings to a small bowl and set aside.
• Add the artichokes to the skillet and cook until warmed, stirring carefully so they do not break apart. Stir in the cooked guanciale.
• Add the egg yolks, the cheese, 1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper to the small bowl with the reserved guanciale drippings and stir until combined.
• Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, then, using tongs, transfer the cooked pasta to the skillet, mixing to incorporate with the artichokes and guanciale.
• While whisking, slowly drizzle 1/4 cup of the reserved pasta water into the egg mixture until combined.
• Remove the pasta from the heat and add the egg mixture, tossing vigorously to coat. Add more reserved pasta water incrementally until the sauce is smooth and creamy.
• Divide the pasta among bowls and top with more grated cheese. If desired, place a raw egg yolk on top of each pasta nest. Top with a sprinkle of salt and pepper, and a drizzle of olive oil to finish.