Spätzle Carbonara with Pancetta and Bergkäse

Method

1. Put the flour and salt in a bowl, add the eggs and cold water in the middle and beat hard with a wooden spoon for 4 min, until bubbly and falling thickly from the spoon. Rest for 15 min.

   Add in this stepPlain flour 200 gFine salt ½ tspEggs (for the batter) 2Cold water 55 ml

2. Bring the water and coarse salt to the boil in a large 20 cm pot, covered, over high heat; it takes about 9 min. The sauce is cheesy, so keep the water less salty than usual.

   Add in this stepWater (for boiling) 2½ LCoarse salt (for the water) 1 tbsp

   high heat

3. In a large bowl, mix the yolks, pecorino, Bergkäse and half the pepper with a fork into a thick paste. You will finish the sauce in this bowl, so make it a roomy one.

   Add in this stepEgg yolks 2Grated pecorino romano 30 gFinely grated Bergkäse (or Gruyère) 30 gCoarsely ground black pepper 0.4 tsp

4. Cut the pancetta into 1 cm batons, put them in a cold 26 cm frying pan and cook slowly over medium-low heat for 7 min, until the fat has melted out and the pieces are golden and crisp. Add the rest of the pepper for the last 30 seconds to toast it, then turn off the heat and leave everything, fat included, in the pan.

   Add in this stepPancetta (or thick-cut bacon) 80 gCoarsely ground black pepper 0.4 tsp

   medium-low heat

5. Turn the water down to medium-high heat and press the batter through a spätzle press or large-holed colander. When they float, cook 1 min more, then lift them with a slotted spoon into the pancetta pan and toss in the fat. Scoop out a cup of the cooking water.

   medium-high heat

6. Let the pan cool for about a minute so it is not too hot. Loosen the yolk paste by stirring in 3–4 spoonfuls of the cooking water a little at a time, pour it over the spätzle and toss vigorously for 1 min, until the sauce clings thick and glossy. If it is too runny, set the pan over low heat for a few seconds at a time, stirring constantly; if it boils, the eggs scramble. Serve at once.

   low heat