Spring Carbonara

Spring Carbonara
Serves four
Prep time 10 minutes — Cooking time 20 minutes

250g Pietro Massi Tagliatelle
¼ pound Benton’s bacon, diced
1 pound asparagus, ends trimmed
1 cup shelled peas, fresh or frozen
2 whole eggs, plus 2 yolks
1 cup Parmigiano Reggiano
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon of ground black pepper, plus more for serving
Grated Pecorino Romano for serving

Boil pasta according to package instructions.

Meanwhile, in a heavy bottomed skillet, cook bacon over medium low heat. Stir occasionally allowing bacon to crisp and fat to render. When the bacon is cooked, about 7 minutes, remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside.

Using the rendered bacon fat, sauté asparagus and peas over medium heat, about another 7 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and add cooked bacon when vegetables are tender and cooked through.

In a mixing bowl, beat eggs and yolks. Stir in cheese with salt and pepper.

When the pasta is finished cooking, reserve a cup of pasta water. Add cooked pasta to the skillet. Slowly add the egg mixture to the skillet while tossing it with the pasta. (The goal is to heat the eggs enough to cook through but not curdle with the residual heat from the pasta and skillet.)

Stir in pasta water a little at a time to achieve desired creaminess. Serve immediately and finish with grated pecorino and fresh ground black pepper.

 In the Kitchen with Jackie: