Preserved Egg
Bacon Pasta (Carbonara Fusion)
A bold East-West fusion dish combining traditional Italian carbonara technique with Chinese preserved eggs and crispy bacon for a rich, mellow flavor.
This unique pasta bridges culinary worlds by pairing classic Italian carbonara methods with the distinctive, mellow depth of Chinese preserved eggs. While it might raise eyebrows in Italy, the combination of smoky bacon grease and creamy preserved egg creates a surprisingly delicious harmony.
Ingredients
- 200 g spaghetti
- 3 preserved eggs
- 2 fresh eggs
- 100 g bacon
- to taste parmesan cheese
- to taste black pepper
- to taste salt
Instructions
- 1Crush Preserved Eggs
Put two peeled preserved eggs into a metal mixing bowl and crush them into small pieces using a gloved hand. Keep one preserved egg aside for the final decoration.
Tip: Make sure to break them down evenly to help build a smooth sauce later. - 2Add Fresh Eggs
Crack two fresh raw eggs directly into the mixing bowl on top of the crushed preserved eggs.
Tip: Fresh eggs add richness and bind the preserved egg mixture into a creamy sauce. - 3Grate Parmesan Cheese
Grind a generous amount of fresh parmesan cheese directly over the raw eggs and preserved eggs inside the bowl.
Tip: Freshly grated parmesan melts much better and brings a deep savory flavor. - 4Slice the Bacon
Cut the raw bacon into small rectangular pieces on a yellow cutting board, preparing them for the pan.
Tip: Uniform slicing ensures the bacon pieces render fat evenly when fried. - 5Add Boiling Water
Pour two spoonfuls of hot boiling water directly into the mixing bowl containing the eggs, cheese, and preserved eggs.
Tip: Adding boiling water helps temper the mixture before blending. - 6Blend the Sauce
Blend the mixture thoroughly until it becomes smooth, achieving a mellow texture and appearance reminiscent of hard cheese.
Tip: Blend well to remove large lumps and create a creamy, unified sauce base. - 7Fry the Bacon
Place the chopped bacon pieces directly into a dry skillet without adding any extra oil. Cook over medium heat until the fat renders out and the edges of the bacon become browned and deliciously crispy.
Tip: Since bacon already has plenty of fat, starting it in a dry pan allows the natural grease to render slowly, creating the perfect rich base for the pasta. - 8Boil the Pasta
Bring a large pot of water to a vigorous boil and season it generously with salt. Submerge the dry spaghetti noodles and cook them according to the package instructions until they reach an al dente texture. Do this while the bacon is frying to save time.
Tip: Remember to only add salt to the pasta water after you have already taken out the two spoonfuls of plain boiling water needed for the preserved egg sauce. - 9Combine Pasta and Bacon
Once the pasta is cooked, use tongs to lift the spaghetti directly from the boiling water and transfer it into the skillet with the crispy bacon. Toss the noodles well so they absorb the rendered bacon grease.
Tip: Transferring the pasta directly from the pot allows some starchy pasta water to cling to the noodles, which will help emulsify the final sauce. - 10Add the Preserved Egg Sauce
Turn the stove to low heat, then pour the smoothly blended preserved egg and cheese sauce evenly over the pasta and bacon in the skillet. Keep the heat very low to ensure the sauce stays creamy.
Tip: Temperature control is critical here. If the pan is too hot, the eggs will scramble and ruin the texture, turning your rich sauce into egg drop soup. - 11Toss and Emulsify
Add a spoonful of the starchy pasta cooking water to the skillet. Use tongs to vigorously stir and toss the noodles, bacon, and egg sauce together until the sauce thickens slightly and evenly coats every strand of pasta.
Tip: Tossing the pasta quickly helps release more starch, which binds the fat and the egg mixture together into a silky, emulsified sauce.
