Peppery Pasta Carbonara with Poached Egg

Ingredients

• Spaghetti

  Dry pasta, enriched

  4 oz or 113g

• Bacon

  Raw, cured pork

  2 strip or 24g

• Butter

  Unsalted

  ½ tbsp or 7g

• Parmesan cheese

  Shredded

  ⅓ cup or 27g

• Salt

  Table

  1 dash or 0.4g

• Pepper

  Spices, black

  1 dash or 0.1g

• Parsley

  Raw

  2 tbsp or 8g

• Egg

  Whole, fresh eggs

  1 large or 50g

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Cook the spaghetti until al dente per package directions. Reserve 1/3 cup cooking water, then lift the pasta into a bowl with tongs, letting excess water drip off. Reduce the pot to a bare simmer.
2. While the spaghetti cooks, heat a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Cook the bacon until crisp, 6–8 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain, then pour off all but about 2 teaspoons of the fat.
3. Return the skillet to medium heat and melt the butter in the bacon fat. Add the spaghetti, reserved pasta water, Parmesan, and a pinch of salt and pepper.
4. Toss and cook until the sauce looks glossy and coats the pasta, 2–3 minutes. Fold in the cooked bacon and half of the chopped parsley. Taste and adjust seasoning.
5. Crack the egg into a small cup, then gently slide it into the barely simmering pasta water. Poach until the white is set and the yolk remains runny, 2–3 minutes. Lift out with a slotted spoon and drain well.
6. Twirl the pasta into a warm bowl and top with the poached egg. Sprinkle with the remaining parsley and serve right away.