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Food

Extra-Rich Carbonara Recipe

The classic carbonara gets a boost of richness with 8 egg yolks, and a bump of umami with a dash of soy sauce.
Extra-Rich Carbonara Recipe
Photo by Farideh Sadeghin

Servings: 2
Prep time: 10 minutes
Total time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

6 ounces|180 grams pasta (spaghetti no. 9 works great)
3 ½ ounces|100 grams guanciale or bacon, cut into thin strips or lardons
8 medium egg yolks
3 ½ ounces|100 grams grated pecorino
1 tablespoon soy sauce
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions

  1. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook, stirring, unit al dente. Keep an eye on the pasta and check on it so you get the al dente-texture you prefer. You can’t always trust the timings on the package.
  2. Heat a medium skillet over medium. Add the guanciale and cook until golden brown crispy, about 8 minutes. Drain the fat and keep it aside. Set the guanciale aside as well.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks until frothy and creamy. Add half of the pecorino and the soy sauce and whisk again.
  4. To assemble: Drain the pasta (keep the cooking water) and add half of it to the egg yolk mix while constantly stirring so the eggs don't coagulate. Add in ¾ of the guanciale, the pork fat, and the remaining pasta and stir so all the pasta is covered in creamy sauce. You can add in a bit of the pasta cooking water which will help the sauce emulsify. Season with salt and plenty of pepper.
  5. To serve, use a long tong or a pair of tweezers to roll up the pasta carbonara in a tight beehive which you place on the plate. Top with the remaining pecorino and guanciale and serve immediately.

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