Peppery Pasta Carbonara with Poached Egg
A luxurious twist on classic carbonara featuring crispy bacon, al dente spaghetti, and Parmigiano-Reggiano, crowned with a perfectly poached egg. Fresh tarragon or parsley adds a bright, herbaceous finish to this creamy pasta dish.
Ingredients
- •2 slices bacon
- •¼ pound spaghetti
- •½ tablespoon unsalted butter
- •⅓ cup Parmigiano-Reggiano
- •1 tablespoon tarragon or parsley
- •1 large egg
Cooking Instructions
- 1.
Cook bacon in a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp. Transfer bacon with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain.
8 min
- 2.
Meanwhile, cook spaghetti in a 4-quart saucepan of salted boiling water until al dente. Reserve 1/3 cup cooking water, then transfer spaghetti with tongs to a small bowl, shaking off excess water, and keep pan of water simmering.
10 min
- 3.
Pour off all but 2 teaspoons bacon fat from skillet, then whisk butter into fat in skillet over medium heat. Add spaghetti, reserved cooking water, cheese, and a rounded 1/4 teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring, until sauce is thickened and almost completely absorbed, 2 to 3 minutes. Add bacon and 1 tablespoon tarragon and toss. Season with salt and pepper.
3 min
- 4.
Break egg into a cup and gently slide into water. Poach at a bare simmer to desired doneness (we prefer a firm white with a runny yolk, 2 to 3 minutes).
3 min
- 5.
Serve pasta topped with egg (transfer using a slotted spoon). Sprinkle with remaining tarragon if desired.
1 min
