Spaghetti Carbonara with Asparagus

With fresh asparagus popping up at the grocery store and local asparagus available at the farmers market and fruit stands; a springy riff on a classic carbonara pasta seemed like the perfect recipe to share.

Easy and quick enough to justify for a weeknight meal but decadent and delicious enough to make for friends or a special occasion, this lovely recipe is just what we need in early spring.

Thin asparagus spears cook in a little bacon fat alongside an onion until fragrant and perfectly tender. This recipe uses the classic carbonara method of whisking fresh eggs, parmesan cheese and a little pasta cooking water together until a silky, wonderful sauce forms. The dish is unbelievably flavorful and feels so special even though it only takes a few minutes to prepare.

I’ve waited patiently (for what feels like forever) for my young chickens to begin producing eggs. But finally, in the last few months, my feathered friends have begun laying beautiful chocolate brown and light blue eggs. They are almost too pretty to eat. Almost. Now that I have fresh eggs on the daily, I’m looking for fun, new recipes to use them in.

A carbonara recipe calls for uncooked eggs. The eggs combine with the hot pasta water (and eventually the hot pasta and asparagus), gently cooking the eggs, creating a wonderful sauce. If you would prefer not to use eggs, for whatever reason, you can skip them and instead use 1/3 cup heavy cream. You will combine the cream with the parmesan cheese and thin it with the pasta water. I couldn’t resist adding a touch of freshness with a tiny garnish of lemon zest and a bit of fresh flat-leaf parsley. It adds a brightness to the dish and amplifies the crisp asparagus. Paired with a simple green salad and a glass of wine, this is the spring meal we’ll go back to over and over again.

Spaghetti Carbonara with Asparagus

• 4 ounces center-cut bacon

• 1/2 large yellow onion, thinly sliced

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 pound asparagus, woody stems removed

• 1 box spaghetti noodles

• 3 eggs, room temperature

• 2/3 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

• Dash of red pepper flakes

• 1 teaspoon lemon zest

• 2 tablespoons flat leaf parsley minced

• Kosher salt and black pepper

Cut the bacon into 1/2-inch pieces and sauté in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a paper-towel lined plate to drain.

Add the onion, returning the pan to medium heat, stirring often until the onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. While the onions simmer, rinse the asparagus and cut off the woody stems. Chop the asparagus into 1-inch pieces. Add the asparagus to the pan with the onion and sauté until bright green and tender, an additional 4 to 6 minutes. The asparagus should be tender but still have a firm bit to the spears. The onion should be golden brown.

Add the garlic, giving the vegetables a good stir to combine, cook an additional minute, turning off the heat when the garlic is fragrant.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until the noodles are al dente, meaning they have a little firmness to them still. Drain the pasta water, reserving 1 cup of pasta water.

Whisk the eggs together in a medium bowl, then add the parmesan cheese, a generous pinch of Kosher salt and black pepper. Gradually whisk in about 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water until a sauce forms.

Add the pasta and bacon to the onion and asparagus mixture in the skillet. Turn the heat to low or simmer, stirring to combine the ingredients. Once the pasta is hot, pour the egg mixture into the pasta, stirring until creamy, adding a little more pasta water if necessary.

Garnish the dish with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese, a small dash of red pepper flakes, lemon zest and minced flat leaf parsley. Serve immediately.