Fettuccine Carbonara

A version of this recipe was featured as the “Dish of the Year” on the cover of the January 2009 issue of Bon Appétit. I’ve substituted crispy bacon in place of the pancetta in order to add more of a smoky flavor, and I’ve added peas and additional cheese to really give this dish a kick. Serve this delicious pasta dish with a big salad and garlic bread.

Shopping List

• 4 large eggs
• 1½ cups grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 8 ounces center cut bacon
• 1 cup cooked peas
• 12 ounces fettuccine
• 1 medium bunch broccoli

Recipe

In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, the Parmesan cheese, the Pecorino cheese, the garlic and the pepper.

Cook the bacon in a large skillet until it is crisp. Then transfer it to a paper towel to drain excess grease.

Chop the cooked bacon into bite-sized pieces. Set aside.

Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water (about 7 minutes).

Add the broccoli to the boiling pasta and cook it until it is bright green and crisp (about an additional 3 minutes).

Drain the pasta-broccoli mixture and reserve ¼ cup of the cooking liquid.

Return the pasta-broccoli mixture to the pot (off heat) and immediately add the egg-cheese mixture, the crispy bacon, the cooked peas and the ¼ cup of cooking liquid.

Toss the ingredients together until the cheeses are melted.