Spaghetti Carbonara with Asparagus
A delicious twist on the classic Spaghetti Carbonara made with a rich egg and pecorino cheese mixture and fresh asparagus to brighten the whole dish.
Equipment
- medium pot to blanch the asparagus
- medium bowl of ice water to shock the asparagus and stop the cooking
- Large bowl to mix the egg and cheese sauce with the pasta
- Medium skillet to crisp the guanciale
- Large pot of water to cook the pasta
- Pasta spoon to transfer the pasta to the bowl of egg and cheese mixture
- Microplane to finely grate the pecorino cheese
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 8 oz asparagus
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 5 ounces guanciale small dice
- 4 egg yolks
- ½ cup Pecorino Romano cheese finely grated
- 1 -2 teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
- 8 oz dry Spaghetti
Instructions
Prep and Blanch the Asparagus
- First, prepare the fresh asparagus. Cut the tips off and reserve. The remainder of the asparagus spear should be cut into thin rounds (¼ inch or even less).8 oz asparagus
- Fill a medium sauce pot with water and bring to a boil. Have a medium bowl of ice water ready to shock the asparagus. When the water boils, add a tablespoon of salt, and stir.
- Add the asparagus tips to the boiling water for about 10 seconds then add the rest of the asparagus pieces for another 30 seconds. Remove all of the crisp asparagus pieces with a slotted spoon or strain through a colander and immediately put them into the ice bath. Once they have cooled down, remove the asparagus from the ice bath and dry on paper towels. Set aside.
Crisp the Guanciale
- In a skillet over medium heat, add the olive oil and cook the guanciale until it becomes somewhat crispy (5-10 minutes). Remove with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain excess fat.1 tsp olive oil, 5 ounces guanciale
Boil the Pasta Water
- While your guanciale browns, fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Use less water than you normally would to make a pound of pasta (about 3 quarts). Salt the water with about 2 tablespoon of kosher salt.
Make Your Carbonara Sauce
- In a large mixing bowl, add the crisped guanciale, egg yolks, cheese and pepper and mix thoroughly. Add the asparagus to this mixture. Set aside.4 egg yolks, ½ cup Pecorino Romano cheese, 1 -2 teaspoon black pepper
Cook the Pasta and Finish the Dish
- Add the spaghetti to the large pot of boiling salted water and follow the package directions to cook until al dente.8 oz dry Spaghetti
- Once done, move the spaghetti directly from the pot to the large mixing bowl and toss or mix with a spatula for about 20-30 seconds until the spaghetti is completely coated. Reserve a cup of the pasta water. Add a little bit of reserved starchy pasta water to the bowl as desired to create a creamier and saucier dish. A little pasta water goes a long way so add 1 tablespoon at a time until you reach the consistency you want. Serve immediately with extra grated cheese on top.
Notes
Variations and Substitutions
- Swap the asparagus for peas or zucchini. Peas are actually more traditional if you're going the vegetable route. Zucchini works if you slice it thin and sauté it with the guanciale.
- Use pancetta if you can't find guanciale. Pancetta is pork belly, not jowl, so it's leaner and less funky. It still works and it's much easier to find. Cook it the same way. Bacon is a last resort. If you use it, go for thick-cut, unsmoked if possible, and know the final dish will taste smokier and less traditionally Roman.
- Mix Pecorino and Parmigiano-reggiano (parmesan cheese). Some cooks do a 50/50 blend to mellow out the sharpness of Pecorino. It's less traditional but it's delicious and a little more approachable if you're not a fan of funky sheep's milk cheese.
- Add a pinch of red pepper flakes. This isn't Roman, but if you like heat, a small pinch tossed in with the black pepper adds a different kind of warmth that works surprisingly well.
- Make it without asparagus. Just skip it and follow the recipe as written. You'll have classic carbonara. It's timeless for a reason.
- How to store leftover carbonara: If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two days.
- How to reheat leftover carbonara:When you reheat, do it gently. Add a splash of water or milk to the pan, heat over low, and stir constantly. It won't be as silky as it was fresh, but it's still edible.
- Grate the cheese as fine as possible. Big shreds don't melt evenly and you'll end up with clumps in your cheese sauce. A Microplane or the smallest holes on a box grater create a fine, powdery texture that melts instantly when it hits the hot pasta. If you own a food processor, pulse it until it's almost powdered for best results.
- Use a big bowl. You need room to toss aggressively. Tossing is what emulsifies the sauce and distributes the heat evenly. If your bowl is too small, you'll either spill pasta everywhere or you won't toss enough, and the sauce won't come together properly.
- Reserve more pasta water than you think you'll need. Scoop out at least a cup before you drain or transfer the pasta. You probably won't use it all, but it's a problem if you need more and don’t have it!
- Add the pasta water in small increments. A tablespoon at a time. Pasta water is starchy and salty. Too much and your sauce goes from creamy to soupy in seconds.
- To save time, some stores carry already diced guanciale. This way you can use exactly what you need and you don’t have to dice it.
Nutrition
Calories: 591kcalCarbohydrates: 46gProtein: 19gFat: 37gSaturated Fat: 14gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 245mgSodium: 467mgPotassium: 275mgFiber: 3gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 741IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 183mgIron: 3mg
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