Classic pasta carbonara is rich, smoky, salty, and cheesy-the epitome of comfort food. This version is with the classic is the egg-centric sauce that thickens just enough when tossed with hot pasta, crispy bacon, and nutty Parmesan.
- 2 ¼ tsp salt
- 10 oz fresh linguine
- 1 LB Chicken Breast, cut into 1 inch pieces
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 4 slices bacon, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese
- 2 tsp minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
1. Fill a 12-in skillet with water up to about 1 in from the top. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Add 2 tsp of the salt and toss in the linguine. Stir gently once or twice so the noodles don’t stick.
2. Meanwhile, in a bowl, whisk together the eggs, remaining 1/4 tsp salt, and a few grinds of pepper. Set aside.
3. Cook the pasta for about 2 minutes, or 1 minute less than directed on the package. It’s important that the pasta isn’t completely cooked at this point. (To check, fish out a strand and bite into it. It should still be chewy, but not tough.) Don’t worry, the pasta will finish cooking in the sauce. Scoop on about 1/4 cup of the pasta-cooking water and whisk about 2 tbsp into the egg mixture. Set the rest of the pasta water aside. Drain the pasta in a colander set in the sink and run just enough cold water over it to stop the cooking. It should still be hot.
4. Put the empty skillet over medium-high heat and add the olive oil and chopped bacon. Cook the bacon, stirring often, until crispy, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to the egg mixture.
5. Put the chicken in the bacon skillet. Cook until lightly browned on all sides.
6. Add the garlic to the pan and cook it in the hot bacon fat, off the heat, until fragrant, about 20 seconds. It should sizzle. Return the drained pasta to the pan and toss it in the hot bacon fat for about 1 minute to reheat it. Quickly pour in the egg mixture and all but about 2 tbsp of the cheese and toss to blend the ingredients thoroughly. The egg mixture should thicken into a sauce. Add more of the reserved pasta water if it seems dry. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
7. Heap the pasta onto warmed plates. Garnish with the reserved cheese and the parsley and serve hot.