Quick and Easy
Carbonara Two Ways
- Prep time 10 minutes
- Cook time 25 minutes
- Serves 4 to 6
Author Notes
This version of carbonara, Rome’s beloved dish, transforms basic ingredients, including spaghetti, eggs, bacon, and ham into a rich, silky pasta loaded with crunchy, salty meaty bits. Although I call this “breakfast pasta” to intrigue my kids, it’s sophisticated enough for a grown-up dinner party.
And it’s easy to make: Smithfield Thick Cut Bacon and Smithfield Diced Ham (cooked in bacon fat) replace the traditional (and often hard to find) guanciale; this doubles the meatiness without doubling the effort. Plus, the steps happen simultaneously (i.e. the pasta boils while the bacon crisps), and no knife work is required for the pre-cut Smithfield Diced Ham. To make chopping even easier, start with slightly frozen bacon.
The reserved pasta water helps the egg yolks luxuriously coat the spaghetti strands, but if you plan to reheat the dish, reserve an additional cup of starchy water to gently reheat the pasta over low heat. Don’t count out leftovers—this spaghetti can go long. —Shana Liebman
Test Kitchen Notes
This recipe is presented in partnership with Smithfield Foods. —The Editors
Ingredients
-
1
large egg
-
3
large egg yolks
-
1 cup
grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
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1 pound
spaghetti
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1 tablespoon
olive oil
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12 ounces
Smithfield Thick Cut Bacon, chopped
-
1 cup
Smithfield Diced Ham
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2
garlic cloves, minced
-
Salt, to taste
-
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Directions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- Meanwhile, whisk together the egg, yolks, and Parmesan cheese in a small bowl. Add a generous pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat and add the chopped bacon. Cook until just crispy, about 10 minutes. Add the diced ham to the skillet and cook for 3-5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the bacon and the ham from the skillet to a paper-towel-covered plate, leaving the rendered fat in the skillet.
- Add the minced garlic to the skillet and cook over medium heat for about 1 minute until fragrant. Add the cooked pasta and ½ cup of reserved pasta water to the skillet and toss to coat in the garlic-infused bacon fat.
- Remove the skillet from the heat and pour in the egg and cheese mixture, stirring quickly and moving the pan back and forth to create a creamy sauce. Slowly add the remaining ½ cup of pasta water while quickly stirring.
- Add the cooked bacon and ham back to the pasta and toss everything together. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately with a bowl of grated parmesan.
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