Submitted by Eric Tietze, Lebanon, Mo.
Ingredients:
1 pound dry spaghetti
2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
4 ounces pancetta or slab bacon, cubed or sliced into small strips
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 large eggs
1 C freshly grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
Freshly ground black pepper
1 handful fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Directions:
Prepare the sauce while the pasta is cooking; the pasta must be hot when adding the egg mixture, so the raw eggs in the sauce will cook. Boil pasta until tender yet firm (al dente). Drain the pasta well, reserving 1/2 C of the starchy cooking water to use in the sauce, if you wish. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a deep skillet over medium heat. Add the pancetta and saute for about 3 minutes, until crisp and fat is rendered. Toss garlic into the fat and saute for less than 1 minute to soften. Add the hot, drained spaghetti and toss for 2 minutes to coat the strands in the bacon fat. Beat eggs and Parmesan together in a mixing bowl, stirring well. Remove the pan from the heat and pour the egg/cheese mixture into the pasta, whisking quickly until the eggs thicken, but do not scramble. Thin out the sauce with a bit of the reserved pasta water, until it reaches desired consistency. Season with freshly ground black pepper and salt to taste. Mound into warm serving bowls and garnish with chopped parsley.
