theartofeating

 Pepperoni Carbonara

350g pasta, bucatini is my fav but any shape or noodle works for this

110g pepperoni

1 whole egg

2 egg yolks

100g pecorino Romano, finely grated by hand

1 - 2 teaspoons cracked black pepper, tweak to your liking

1 tablespoon olive oil

1. Peel the pepperoni so theres no exterior casing, small dice it

2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add your pasta

3. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil up over medium high heat and cook your pepperoni, you want it completely crispy! Theres not as much fat in here as with guanciale (traditional carbonara) so make sure you have enough oil in the pan and pay attention, it will toast quicker than guanciale too.

4. Remove the crispy pepperoni so you have just your pepperoni oil in the pan.

5. Mix the eggs, yolks, cheese and pepper together, keep it nearby.

6. Once your pasta is al dente, add it to the pepperoni oil. Give it a 30 second toss over medium heat and then turn the stove off. Add about 2 to 3 tablespoons pasta water to your egg mix and whisk quickly, being careful not to scramble your eggs. Once you have a nice paste, add it to your pasta.

7. Using the residual heat from the pan, working on and off the heat stir your pasta until the eggs begin to tighten up and you have a Lucious sauce. About 2 or 3 minutes, go slow if your a newb, theres no going back if your eggs scramble

8. Finish with the crispy pepperoni and more cheese!