While on our trip to the Dolomites this summer, we started with a day hike to acclimate. Afterwards, we were incredibly hungry, so we walked around Cortina D’Ampezzo looking for a restaurant that met a few key criteria (in no particular order): 1. It needed outdoor seating, 2. It had to be reasonably priced, and 3. It had to be currently open…we were famished after all.
We stumbled upon a restaurant that fit the profile we were searching, and they had a table, so we picked it. The restaurant was Il Vizietto Di Cortina, and we are SO glad we found it. It was incredible! My wife had the Purple Potato Gnocchi (which I plan to try to recreate at some point), and I had the Pasta Carbonara…which is something I’m not proud to admit that I’d never had before. Let me tell you, it was so good that I immediately got to thinking about making it when we got home. It was creamy, but surprisingly light given that all the creaminess comes from eggs and cheese…not heavy cream.
So, I whipped up a batch of fresh pasta, defrosted some smoked bacon, and got to work. To add some color and nutritional balance, we added a copious amount of spinach to the dish, which turned out really well!
*Little disclaimer…the eggs are cooked with residual heat, so they aren’t fully cooked through, which can increase the risk of foodborne illness. You’ll need to decide for yourself whether you are okay with that. But things like buying your eggs from a reputable source and washing the shells before cracking can minimize the risks.
Time: 30 Minutes
Ingredients:
- Pasta. We used Homemade Semolina Pasta Dough.
- Bacon or Pancetta
- Spinach
- 2 eggs
- 3/4-1 Cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese
- Black Pepper
Method:
- Fill a pot with water, and add in some salt and a little olive oil. Bring to a boil.
- As your water heats, slice your bacon into ribbons. If using pancetta, cut into cubes.
- Add a little olive oil to a pan, and heat. Then, add your bacon or pancetta, and cook over low heat until it starts to get crispy.
- When your water is boiling, add your pasta, and cook until al dente.
- As your pasta and bacon cook, grate your cheese with a microplane grater into a measuring cup. Then, rinse and then crack two eggs into a bowl, add some black pepper, and beat with a fork. Combine your cheese and eggs, and stir to fully incorporate.
- Add your spinach to the bacon pan, and sautee to wilt.
- When your pasta is ready, scoop a quarter cup of the pasta water, and add it to your bacon pan.
- Turn the heat off from under your bacon pan, and scoop your pasta out and add it directly to your bacon/spinach pan. Toss lightly.
- Pour in your egg/cheese mixture, and toss as you do so that it coats your pasta.
- Plate, devour, and enjoy!
