Lunch: Spaghetti Alla Carbonara

Ingredients

1 pound spaghetti
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
4 ounces cubed pancetta
4 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup freshly grated pecorino cheese
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Add the spaghetti to boiling salted water.
Meanwhile in a saute pan, heat the extra-virgin olive oil. Add the garlic, and pancetta, and cook for a few minutes. Remove the garlic when it is golden brown, and then lower the heat.
In a bowl, whisk together the milk, pecorino cheese, salt, and lots of black pepper. Separate the eggs, making sure not to break the yolks. Add the egg whites to the milk mixture, and mix well.
When the spaghetti is at the 'al dente' stage, drain well. Add the pasta to the saucepan with the pancetta, and remove from heat. Pour in the milk mixture, and stir for a minute or so. The heat from the spaghetti will cook the egg and thicken the sauce.
Plate and garnish each serving with an egg yolk* on top. Add the fresh ground black pepper and serve immediately.
Raw Egg WarningFood Network Kitchens suggest caution in consuming raw and lightly-cooked eggs due to the slight risk of Salmonella or other food-borne illness. To reduce this risk, we recommend you use only fresh, properly-refrigerated, clean, grade A or AA eggs with intact shells, and avoid contact between the yolk or whites and the shell.