Ingredients
- Salt
- 3 ounces apple-wood smoked bacon, thickly sliced and cut into 1/4-inch cubes
- 4 ounces pancetta, coarsely chopped so you have 1/4-inch pieces
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, smashed and chopped
- 1 ½ cups peas
- 2 teaspoons thyme leaves
- 3 eggs
- 6 egg yolks
- 1 ¾ cups freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
- 1 pound orecchiette
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 20 small pea shoots (or small spinach leaves)
- ½ lemon
- 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley
- Nutritional Information
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
990 calories; 46 grams fat; 18 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 17 grams monounsaturated fat; 5 grams polyunsaturated fat; 99 grams carbohydrates; 7 grams dietary fiber; 8 grams sugars; 41 grams protein; 268 milligrams cholesterol; 714 milligrams sodium
Note: Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available data.
4 servings
Preparation
- Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. In a large sauté pan, place bacon and pancetta in oil over medium-low heat. Cook until bacon is browned and has rendered most of its fat. Drain all but 1 tablespoon of fat, leaving meat in the pan. Scrape in onion and garlic, and sauté until glassy and translucent, then add peas and thyme. Cook for 1 minute, then turn off heat.
- In a large mixing bowl, lightly whisk together eggs, egg yolks and cheese.
- When water comes to a rolling boil, stir in pasta and cook until tender but still a little chewy in the center (like a piece of gum). Ladle out a cup of cooking water, and reserve. Drain pasta, and pour it into sauté pan with bacon; grind coarse pepper over top. Fold pasta into sauce.
- Tip pasta into egg mixture, and fold it all together quickly, so eggs cook and coat pasta with a velvety sauce. Add pea tendrils (or spinach), and fold once more. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding a generous squeeze of lemon juice. Add a little pasta water if it becomes too thick. Spoon into shallow bowls, and sprinkle with parsley.
Dining and Cooking