Cheongyang Chili Carbonara Spaghetti
Cheongyang chili carbonara spaghetti adds the sharp heat of Korean cheongyang peppers to a traditional carbonara built on egg yolks, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and Pecorino Romano. Pancetta is rendered slowly over medium-low heat until crisp, and the chili and garlic are tossed in the rendered fat for just thirty seconds - enough to infuse the oil with heat without burning the garlic. The cheese-egg base must be stirred into the drained pasta off the heat, using reserved pasta water to emulsify the mixture into a smooth, clinging sauce rather than scrambled curds. The cheongyang pepper's capsaicin cuts through the dense richness of cheese and egg fat, giving the finish a clean, assertive bite that the classic Roman version lacks.
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Instructions
- 1
Boil 2L water with salt, cook spaghetti 1 minute less than package time, and reserve 200ml pasta water.
- 2
Mix egg yolks, parmigiano, pecorino, and pepper in a bowl to make the cheese-egg base.
- 3
Crisp pancetta over medium-low heat, then add cheongyang chili and garlic for 30 seconds.
- 4
Add pasta and 80ml pasta water, tossing for 1 minute so starch emulsifies with the fat.
- 5
Turn off heat, let the pan cool slightly, then add the egg base and toss quickly until creamy.
- 6
Adjust consistency with more pasta water, plate, and finish with extra black pepper.
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