Calabrian Carbonara

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New York City chef Andrew Carmellini uses Calabrian 'nduja, the spicy, spreadable sausage, to bring loads of delicious heat and flavor to his silky carbonara. Slideshow:  More Pasta Recipes 

Calabrian Carbonara
Photo: © Christina Holmes
Total Time:
30 mins
Yield:
4 to 6

Ingredients

  • 6 large egg yolks

  • 1 large egg

  • 1/2 cup finely grated Pecorino Romano cheese, plus more for serving

  • 1 pound spaghetti

  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oi

  • 4 ounces 'nduja (see Note)

  • Kosher salt

  • Pepper

  • Dried oregano, for sprinkling

Directions

  1. In a medium bowl, beat the egg yolks with the whole egg and the 1/2 cup of grated cheese.

  2. In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook the spaghetti until al dente. Drain, reserving 3/4 cup of the cooking water.

  3. Meanwhile, in a medium skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the 'nduja and cook over moderate heat, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until the fat is rendered, 3 to 5 minutes.

  4. In a large bowl, toss the hot pasta with the 'nduja. Add the egg mixture and the reserved pasta cooking water and toss aggressively until the pasta is coated in a creamy sauce, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer the pasta to shallow bowls or a platter and sprinkle with dried oregano. Serve, passing more cheese at the table.

Notes

'Nduja is a spicy, spreadable Calabrian pork sausage. Look for it at Italian food shops and on amazon.com.

Suggested Pairing

Spice-inflected Calabrian red blend.

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