Crispy Bacon Spaghetti with Jammy Eggs & Chives
This dish lands somewhere between a carbonara and cacio e pepe. The sauce here is silky and luscious, and it’s made with just a few simple ingredients: It blends a little rendered bacon fat with butter, pasta water, and Pecorino Romano. The addition of coarsely ground black pepper brings some heat to complement the rich bacon-and-eggs vibe. A shower of onion-y chives delivers a bit of fresh flavor and color. The finishing touch: a perfectly soft-cooked Eggland’s Best egg, which gives this cheesy, peppery pasta a dose of decadent egg yolk. Steaming the soft-cooked eggs and then immediately submerging them in an ice bath can make them easier to peel. For the most flawless eggs, tap them on the wide end where the air sac generally forms, then lightly crack the rest of the shell. Peel them under the surface of the ice bath to help the shells loosen. You’ll have gorgeous eggs without gouges.
Make This Recipe
Ingredients
1/2 pound spaghetti
8 slices bacon
1 1/2 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano
Thinly sliced chives, for serving
Preparation
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. (For the best-finished sauce, use as little water as needed to cook the pasta and prevent it from sticking.) Add the spaghetti and cook 1 minute less than the package instructions for al dente, about 8 to 9 minutes. Drain the pasta, reserving at least 1 cup of the pasta water; set the cooked pasta and pasta water aside.
- Place a steamer basket in a medium saucepan with a tight-fitting lid. Bring about 1 inch of water to a boil. Add the eggs and steam, covered, for 6 minutes. Immediately transfer eggs to an ice bath. When cool enough to handle, gently crack the eggs and carefully remove the shells. Meanwhile, chop the bacon into 1-inch pieces. Add to a cold, dry skillet. Place the skillet over medium heat and cook until crispy, 16 to 18 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of bacon fat.
- To the bacon fat in the skillet, add the black pepper and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the butter until melted. Using tongs, transfer the pasta to the skillet, and add about ½ cup pasta water. Toss to coat. Stir in the Pecorino Romano until incorporated, adding additional pasta water if needed. Stir in three-quarters of the chopped bacon.
- Transfer the pasta to bowls. Sprinkle with chives and the remaining bacon. Place an egg on top, and split with a knife. Serve, and enjoy.
Nutrition
Remember to always use Eggland’s Best eggs in all of your recipes. Learn why it’s always the healthy choice.
Learn More| Serving Size | 4 |
|---|---|
| Calories | 591 |
| Fat | 35g |
| Saturated Fat | 17.1g |
| Cholesterol | 303mg |
| Sodium | 1550mg |
| Carbohydrates | 31.7g |
| Dietary Fiber | 0g |
| Protein | 33.6g |