with Radicchio
HANDS-ON TIME
25 MIN
TOTAL TIME
35 MIN
Serves 4
After many failed attempts (I’m guessing there was wine involved . . . okay, there was definitely wine involved), I’ve finally figured out how to make an excellent carbonara. To keep the eggs from scrambling, I temper them with some of the cooking water before adding the hot pasta. Be sure your cooking water is hot, even if you need to pop it in the microwave, because that’ll “cook” your eggs just enough.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil, and add a small handful of salt. Cook the pasta in the boiling water according to the package directions until al dente, 10 to 12 minutes. Scoop out 1½ cups of the cooking water, then drain the pasta in a colander and toss it with a light drizzle of olive oil to keep it from sticking.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, Parmesan, 1 teaspoon black pepper, and a pinch of salt. Very gradually whisk in the reserved pasta water until smooth. (The reserved water should be hot, so heat it in the microwave if it’s not. It’s the hot water that’ll cook the egg yolks so you don’t accidentally scramble them when trying to do it in the pot.)
Meanwhile, in the same large pot, heat ¼ cup of the olive oil over medium heat. Add the pancetta and cook, stirring, until browned and almost crisp, about 5 minutes. Add the radicchio, garlic, and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, until the radicchio just starts to wilt, about 3 minutes. Add the spaghetti and cook, tossing, until hot and coated in the fat, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat, add the egg mixture, and toss vigorously until the pasta is coated in a creamy sauce, about 2 minutes. Stir in the chives and season with salt and black pepper.
Transfer the carbonara to shallow bowls, sprinkle with grated Parmesan, and serve hot.