Carbonara

So I didn't eat any of the peas. For some reason, I have it stuck in my head that peas are supposed to be in traditional carbonara, but most dishes that I make don't follow the rules anyways so I'm here to tell you that peas are 100% an optional ingredient. The following recipe makes enough for two really hungry people or three friends who feel like having a smaller portion!

What You Need

• 1/2 box of pasta - I prefer bucatini 
• 4 egg yolks, more if you want to top the pasta nests with egg yolks
• 1 cup shredded parmesan or pecorino romano cheese
• 1 teaspoons freshly crushed black pepper
• 1/2 cup of pancetta (or 4-6 slices of thick cut bacon if you're in a pinch)

What To Do

1. Bring a large pot of water to boil and cook the pasta according to package instructions.
2. Separate the egg yolks and whites - discard the whites and keep the yolks.
3. Mix the cheese and black pepper with the egg yolks and set aside. 
4. If you're using chopped pancetta, just cook it as is until crispy. If you're using bacon, slice the pieces into 1/4" cubes and cook in a skillet until crispy.
5. Put the freshly cooked pasta into a large bowl, add the egg yolk and cheese mixture and toss it around like a psycho. The more you move it around to mix, the better for the texture of the sauce because sometimes, the eggs can curdle if they sit still on the hot pasta. Mix in the pancetta or bacon - I usually save a little handful of it for dressing up my pasta pile.
6. Swirl the pasta into little nests and top each serving with more cheese, bacon and an egg yolk. (Break the egg yolk on top of the hot pasta for an extra luscious sauce.)