Asparagus & Bacon Carbonara

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil over high heat.
2. As the water is coming up to a boil, heat the olive oil in a large cast-iron or nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the diced bacon and cook, stirring often, until the bacon has rendered out all of its fat and is dark brown and crispy, about 13 to 17 minutes. Transfer the cooked bacon into a large heat-proof mixing bowl using a slotted spoon, leaving behind all of the rendered fat in the skillet. Add the cut asparagus, ½ teaspoon of the kosher salt, and ½ teaspoon of the freshly ground black pepper to the pan of rendered bacon fat and continue cooking over medium heat, stirring often, just until the asparagus is tender but still has a toothsome bite, about 4 to 7 minutes. Transfer the asparagus into the bowl of bacon using a slotted spoon. (At this point you can either save or discard the rendered bacon fat.)
3. In another large, heat-proof mixing bowl combine the egg yolks, whole eggs, cheese, remaining ½ teaspoon of kosher salt, and remaining ½ teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper. Mix the eggs and cheese together until the mixture is thick and creamy and no streaks of unincorporated egg white remain. Set aside.
4. Once the water has come to a boil, cook the pasta until al dente, about 10 to 12 minutes for orecchiette, and reserve 1 cup of the pasta water. Drain the pasta into a colander and add it back to the pot along with the bacon and asparagus. Add the egg and cheese mixture to the pasta and immediately and vigorously stir so it evenly coats the pasta. The pasta should be glossy and creamy. If it’s too dry, add a splash of the reserved pasta water and continue mixing. Taste for seasoning and add more salt and pepper as desired. Immediately serve the pasta with additional cheese and pepper.