Here I take one of my favorite classic Italian pastas and make it very fall and a little bit spicy. I keep the traditional Roman method of Carbonara but add a little pumpkin for a creamy fall feel and the Calabrian Chile gives a fantastic spice and flavor!
4 to 6 servings
4 slices bacon - sliced into strips
1 pound spaghetti
4 egg yolks
1 whole egg
1 cup Parmigiano Reggiano
3/4 cup canned pumpkin purée
1 tablespoon Calabrian Chile paste
Kosher salt and freshly cracked pepper
Bring a large pot of water to a boil then add a handful of salt - your water should be salty as the sea. While waiting on the water to boil, heat a large sauté pan over medium high heat. Add the bacon, fry until crispy, then transfer the bacon to a paper towel lined plate. Turn the heat off but keep the pan on the stove, reserving the bacon grease. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente.
While the pasta is cooking, make the sauce. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs together until smooth. Add the Parmigiano Reggiano, pumpkin, Calabrian Chile, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and whisk again until smooth and combined. When it’s ready, add the cooked spaghetti and 1/4 cup pasta water directly into the sauté pan with the bacon grease and toss everything together. Slowly add 1/2 cup of the pasta water into the egg mixture while continuously whisking - this will temper the eggs so they don’t scramble in the pan if the grease is still too hot. Pour the egg mixture over the spaghetti and add the bacon pieces. Toss everything together for several minutes until creamy and combined. Add more pasta water if the sauce is too thick. Serve topped with more Parmigiano.