Smoked Gouda Carbonara in Honor of Carbon #GoScience

What better way to celebrate science than to gather the elements and use your kitchen as a laboratory. I’m here on site in DC today and plan to wave my poster tube around like a wand or a torch. All around me in our nation’s capital are examples of the beauty of nature and the human striving to know and master the lessons there for us when we look deeply.

Some inspiration from the Hirschhorn Museum.

Consider this rhododendron a pompon for science today.

And this dinner a reward for marching for those of you who hit the pavement with your posters and song.

Smoked Gouda Carbonara

Adapted from Food and Wine

1 pound spaghetti

5 large egg yolks

1 large egg

1 cup (4 ounces) finely shredded smoked Gouda, plus more for serving

Kosher salt

Black pepper

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

6 ounces slab bacon, finely diced

3/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook the pasta until al dente. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking water.

I recommend making your own pasta– tastes infinitely better. See here for basic pasta recipes.

In a large bowl, beat the egg yolks with the whole egg, the 1 cup of Gouda, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 2 teaspoons of black pepper. Very gradually whisk in 1/2 cup of the reserved cooking water to temper the eggs.

Meanwhile, in the large pot, heat the olive oil. Add the bacon and cook over moderate heat until rendered but not crisp, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the pasta, crushed red pepper and 1/4 cup of the reserved pasta cooking water. Cook, tossing, until the pasta is coated, 1 to 2 minutes. Scrape the pasta mixture into the large bowl and toss vigorously until creamy, 1 to 2 minutes; add more cooking water if needed. Season with salt and pepper. Divide the pasta into bowls and serve, passing more Gouda at the table.

Shout out to the chickens who prolifically laid eggs for all the yolks in this dish. YUM.