Peppery Pasta Carbonara with Poached Egg

Ingredients

• Butter

  Unsalted

  ½ tbsp or 7g

• Parsley

  Raw

  2 tbsp or 8g

• Parmesan cheese

  Shredded

  ⅓ cup or 27g

• Spaghetti

  Dry, unenriched

  4 oz or 113g

• Egg

  Whole, fresh eggs

  1 large or 50g

• Bacon

  Raw, cured pork

  2 strip or 24g

Directions

1. Cook bacon in a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp. Transfer bacon with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain.
2. Meanwhile, cook spaghetti in a 4-quart saucepan of salted boiling water until al dente. Reserve 1/3 cup cooking water, then transfer spaghetti with tongs to a small bowl, shaking off excess water, and keep pan of water simmering.
3. Pour off all but 2 teaspoons bacon fat from skillet, then whisk butter, 1 tbsp. at a time, into fat in skillet over medium heat. Add spaghetti, reserved cooking water, cheese, and a rounded 1/4 teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring, until sauce is thickened and almost completely absorbed, 2 to 3 minutes. Add bacon and 1 tablespoon chopped parsley and toss. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Break egg into a cup and gently slide into water. Poach at a bare simmer to desired doneness (we prefer a firm white with a runny yolk, 2 to 3 minutes).
5. Serve pasta topped with egg (transfer using a slotted spoon). Sprinkle with remaining chopped parsley if desired.