Bucatini Carbonara and Opening Day at Del Mar!

It's Opening Day at the Races, where the surf meets the surf in beautiful Del Mar, CA. Sadly, I won't be making an appearance in a fancy hat today. A day at the races is another one of my favorite summer splurges, and I'm confident I will manage to indulge (and hurt my wallet) a few times during the short, 6-week racing season.

Another favorite indulgence in the pasta category is Carbonara. This heavenly Bucatini Carbonara comes from Chef Linton Hopkins at Eugene, Holeman and Finch, in Atlanta. He was featured in the recent Food & Wine article, Best New Chefs and their Easiest Recipes. Chef Hopkins adds his own Southern accent with house-cured pork and local eggs.

Requiring only a few fresh and quality ingredients, I love this for a quick weeknight dinner. Try to find Bucatini. To me, it elevates this dish to a new level.

Food & Wine suggests pairing this pasta with a tannic red to "refresh the palate after each luxurious bite." We tried Hey Mambo Sultry Red, an ensemble of Syrah, Barbera, Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, Malbec, and Alicante Bouchet grapes. Excellent!

Bucatini Carbonara
Food & Wine, July 2009

6 ounces bucatini
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
4 ounces pancetta, sliced 1/4 inch thick and cut into 1/4-inch dice
1 shallot, very finely chopped
1 garlic clove, very finely chopped
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus more for serving
4 large egg yolks
Salt
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped parsley
Freshly ground pepper

Directions

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta until al dente. Drain, reserving 3 tablespoons of the cooking water.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the oil. Add the pancetta and cook over moderate heat until most of the fat has been rendered, 7 minutes. Add the shallot and garlic and cook over moderate heat for 1 minute. Add the cream and simmer over moderate heat until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Add the hot pasta to the skillet and stir to coat, 1 minute.

Remove from the heat. Stir in the reserved pasta cooking water, the 2 tablespoons of grated cheese and the egg yolks. Season with salt.

Divide the pasta into bowls and sprinkle with parsley and pepper. Serve, passing more cheese at the table.

As Trevor Denman says when the horses are released from the starting gate...And away they go! Good luck to my favorite jockeys today!