Carbonara bucatini with Cheddar Cheese

Carbonara has always equally fascinated and intimated me. My first few cooking expeditions had turned out disastrous. It was then that I started experimenting with carbonara from different restaurants. The best one I have found so far has to be Chef Agnibh at Piso 16, read more here.

After watching many videos to get it right, I managed it at the brink of the new year. Carbonara with bucatini pasta, bacon chunks and Cheddar cheese instead of the traditional Parmesan. And no cream.

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Ingredients for 1

• Bucatini – 2 ounces
• Egg – 1
• Bacon chunks – a handful
• Olive oil – 1 tbsp
• Garlic cloves – 2 to 3, chopped
• Black pepper – to taste
• Salt – to taste
• Cheddar cheese, grated – 1/2 cup

Method

• In a large pot, add water, a pinch of salt and bring to a boil. Throw in the pasta and cook for 8-10 minutes, or until al dente. Set aside a cup of pasta water to cook later.
• Run the cooked pasta under cold water to avoid sticking.
• Heat olive oil in a non-stick pan, add garlic and cook for 2 minutes, until fragrant.
• Add the bacon chunks, I always use Prasuma, cook the bacon and retain the fat.
• Meanwhile, whisk the egg, and add the grated cheddar to it. Mix lightly.
• Add the cooked bucatini to the pan and pour in the pasta water. Season with salt and cook until the pasta comes together.
• Turn off the heat and let rest for a minute or so to avoid the egg scrambling.
• Pour in the whisked egg and cheese mixture and mix together using tongs. This is very, very important, do not use a spatula or you will end up cooking the egg. Coat the bucatini with the egg and cheese mixture completely.
• Season with some freshly ground black pepper.

Happy Chomping! 🙂