Gochujang Carbonara

Step 1

Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil over high heat. Meanwhile, finely grate 3 ounces Parmesan cheese (3/4 packed cup), or measure out 1 cup store-bought grated. Place 2 tablespoons gochujang, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, and 1 teaspoon honey in a small bowl and stir until combined. Finely chop 3 garlic cloves. Thinly slice 2 medium scallions. Cook the pancetta.

Step 2

Dice 8 ounces pancetta. Place the pancetta and 1 tablespoon neutral oil in a large nonstick skillet. Cook over medium heat until starting to sizzle, about 2 minutes. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the pancetta is browned and crisp, 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the pancetta to a plate. Remove all but 1/4 cup of the fat in the pan. (If you have less than that, add more oil to get 1/4 cup.)

Step 3

Add the garlic and scallions to the pan. Cook over medium heat until the garlic starts to brown and the scallions are tender, about 1 minute. Add the gochujang mixture and cook, stirring and scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon, until starting to bubble, 1 to 2 minutes. Turn off the heat.

Step 4

Add 1 pound dry spaghetti to the boiling water and cook according to the package directions until just al dente, 8 to 10 minutes. Meanwhile, place 4 large egg yolks in a medium bowl and whisk until combined. Add the Parmesan, a pinch of kosher salt, and 2 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper. Whisk until combined.

Step 5

When the spaghetti is ready, use tongs to transfer the spaghetti to the skillet. Add 1/4 cup of the pasta water to the skillet and toss until the pasta is well-coated with the sauce. While tossing the pasta constantly, slowly pour the egg mixture into the skillet, pouring into the center.

Step 6

Turn the heat on to the lowest setting. Return the pancetta to the skillet and cook, tossing constantly, until the sauce starts to thicken and coat the pasta, 1 to 2 minutes. If the pasta looks dry, toss in more pasta water 1/4 cup at a time.

Step 7

Turn off the heat. Taste and season with more kosher salt and black pepper as needed. Transfer to a large bowl or individual serving bowls and serve immediately with more grated Parmesan cheese and a few grinds of pepper on top if desired.