Ingredients (~4 servings)
- 4 oz thick-cut bacon, diced
- 6 organic egg yolks
- Zest from 1 lemon
- 1 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 1/2 oz Pecorino Romano, grated
- 1 1/2 oz Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated
- 3/4 lb spaghetti
- 1/2 cup pasta water, reserved
Cook the Bacon Until Crispy
Set a small skillet over medium heat and add the diced bacon.
Cook, stirring occasionally, until golden and crispy – about 5 to 6 minutes.
Transfer to paper towels to drain.
Make the Egg and Cheese Mixture
In a large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, lemon zest, black pepper, Pecorino Romano, and Parmigiano-Reggiano.
Keep whisking for about 1 minute until smooth; it takes a bit of work to get the cheese fully incorporated.
Cook the Pasta and Combine
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add a few pinches of salt.
Since the cheeses are already salty, you don’t need to go heavy on the salt here like you normally would.
Cook the spaghetti to al dente according to package directions.
Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
Immediately add the drained pasta to the bowl with the egg mixture and splash in about 1/4 cup of the pasta water.
Toss vigorously for a full minute – this seems long but it’s necessary to get the eggs to coat properly without scrambling.
Add the crispy bacon and toss one more time.
Add more pasta water if needed to get a silky consistency.
Divide among bowls and top with extra lemon zest and grated cheese.
Lemon Pepper Carbonara
Ingredients
Ingredients (~4 servings)
- 4 oz thick-cut bacon diced
- 6 organic egg yolks
- Zest from 1 lemon
- 1 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 1/2 oz Pecorino Romano grated
- 1 1/2 oz Parmigiano-Reggiano grated
- 3/4 lb spaghetti
- 1/2 cup pasta water reserved
Instructions
- Cook diced bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crispy, 5-6 minutes. Drain on paper towels.
- Whisk egg yolks, lemon zest, black pepper, Pecorino Romano, and Parmigiano-Reggiano in a large bowl until smooth, about 1 minute.
- Boil salted water and cook spaghetti to al dente per package directions. Reserve 1 cup pasta water before draining.
- Add hot drained pasta to egg mixture with 1/4 cup pasta water. Toss vigorously for 1 minute to coat without scrambling.
- Add bacon and toss. Add more pasta water as needed for silky consistency.
- Serve topped with extra lemon zest and grated cheese.
