Pasta Carbonara

Ingredients

1 pound	dry spaghetti
2 tablespoons	extra-virgin olive oil olive oil Options Extravagonzo Infused Olive Oil Price: $19.99
6 ounces	pancetta or bacon, roughly chopped
1/2 small	onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves	finely chopped
1/4 cup	sun dried tomatoes, optional
1/4 teaspoon	red pepper flakes, optional Peppercorns Options Stainless Steel Electric Salt & Pepper Mills with LED Light Price: $49.95 Stainless-Steel Electric Salt and Pepper Mill Price: $39.95 PepperMate Mills Price: $39.95 Electric Salt/Pepper Mill Price: $49.95
2 large	eggs
1 cup	Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano-Reggiano, freshly grated plus more for serving

Cooking Instructions

For the pasta

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil, add the pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente. Drain the pasta well, reserving 1 cup of the starchy pasta water to use in the sauce.

Prepare the sauce while the pasta is cooking to ensure that the spaghetti will be ready when the sauce is finished. The pasta needs to be hot when adding the egg mixture, so that the heat of the pasta cooks the raw eggs in the sauce.

For the SauceHeat the olive oil in a deep skillet over medium flame. Add the pancetta and sauté for about 3 minutes, until the bacon is crisp and the fat is rendered. Add the onion and sauté until onions are translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Add garlic, sun dried tomatoes, and red pepper and sauté for an additional 1-2 minutes.

Add the hot, drained spaghetti to the pan and toss for 2 minutes to coat the strands in the bacon fat. Beat the eggs in a mixing bowl then add the grated Pecorino, stirring well to prevent lumps. Remove the pan from the heat and pour the egg/cheese mixture into the pasta, mixing mixture into the hot pasta quickly until the eggs thicken, but do not scramble. Thin out the sauce with a bit of the reserved pasta water, until it reaches desired consistency. Taste for seasoning, add additional salt and pepper to taste. Top with additional Pecorino, if desired.