Spaghetti Carbonara

This is one of those things where I’m not sure if it’s meh because I was the one making it, or if it was meh because I just don’t like it — there’s probably a reason I’ve never ordered this in a restaurant or made it before, but I had the egg yolk from the Pavlova and figured Nigella wouldn’t rave about something that wasn’t worth trying.  And it was worth trying, and is a good thing to have in your bag of tricks, but I feel no need to make it for myself again.

 Actual recipe:

1/2 lb spaghetti

4 oz pancetta, diced (I could only grab regular bacon at the store)

2 tsps olive oil

4 tbsps white wine

1 egg yolk

1 whole egg

1/4 grated parm

pepper and nutmeg

1 generous tbsp unsalted butter (I wound up leaving this out)

While pasta water is boiling, but bacon in pan w/oil on medium to high to fry for 5 minutes until crisp.  Throw in win and bubble for about 3 minutes (Nigella describes the end result as “2 tsps syrupy wine-infested bacon fat,” which made me think it was going to be horrific or decadently good.  So much for that prediction.)  Remove from heat.  Beat egg yolk w/whole egg, cheese, pepper, and nutmeg.  When pasta is ready, quickly put pancetta pan back on heat, adding butter as you go.  Give the pasta a good shake in the colander but don’t completely drain, and add it to the hot pan and stir about.  Then when excess liquid is absorbed turn off heat & take pan from burner and evenly cover w/egg mix.  Be patient and DON’T return to heat.