Matcha Carbonara Pasta, No Cream

Once the spaghetti are cooked, the decisive move is to take the pan off the heat before adding the eggs. For this matcha carbonara pasta, sift about 2 tsp (4 g) tea into the Parmesan sauce, then coat the hot spaghetti off the heat. With browned bacon pieces and no cream, the recipe makes two plates in 25 minutes.

• Preparation 15 minutes
• Cooking 10 minutes
• Rest none
• Total time 25 minutes
• Yield 2 plates
• Tools a saucepan, a skillet, a large bowl, a fine sieve, a whisk, a cup, a colander, and two plates

We sift Matcha Essence into the egg sauce, not the spaghetti. That is what sets this dish apart from fresh matcha pasta. In our collection of savory matcha recipes, the powder can also go into a filling or seasoning.

Ingredients for matcha carbonara pasta

• 7 oz (200 g) dried spaghetti that cook in 10 minutes
• 2.8 oz (80 g) diced bacon
• 2 medium eggs
• 2.1 oz (60 g) finely grated Parmesan
• about 2 tsp (4 g) matcha
• About 1/2 tsp (1 g) ground black pepper
• about 8 1/2 cups (2,000 ml) water to cook the pasta, reserving about 2 3/4 tbsp (40 ml)
• About 1 3/4 tsp (10 g) salt for the cooking water

Coat the matcha carbonara pasta off the heat

1. Bring about 8 1/2 cups (2,000 ml) water to a boil with about 1 3/4 tsp (10 g) salt.
2. Put 7 oz (200 g) spaghetti into the boiling water.
3. Cook the spaghetti for 10 minutes, or for the time indicated on the package.
4. While they cook, brown 2.8 oz (80 g) diced bacon in the skillet for about 8 minutes.
5. Take the skillet off the heat.
6. Crack the two eggs into the large bowl.
7. Add 2.1 oz (60 g) grated Parmesan and about 1/2 tsp (1 g) pepper.
8. Sift about 2 tsp (4 g) matcha over the mixture.
9. Whisk the sauce until smooth.
10. Scoop out about 2 3/4 tbsp (40 ml) pasta cooking water.
11. Drain the spaghetti and put them in the skillet with the bacon, off the heat.
12. Toss the spaghetti with the bacon.
13. Pour the egg and matcha sauce over the hot pasta.
14. Add about 1 1/3 tbsp (20 ml) reserved cooking water and toss quickly.
15. Add about 1 1/3 tbsp (20 ml) of the remaining water and stir until the sauce coats the spaghetti.
16. Divide between two plates and serve immediately.

Move the skillet away from the burner before adding the eggs. The heat of the spaghetti is enough to thicken the sauce; on the heat, it may set too quickly and turn into scrambled eggs. Pour, then stir without delay.

Which matcha comes through alongside bacon?

For this sauce, we choose Kura-ge Matcha Essence: Parmesan and bacon already have strong flavors. Sifting prevents dry spots of powder in the eggs; the tea will be subtler than it is in a cup prepared with water.

How is this sauce different from pesto?

Carbonara binds eggs and cheese to hot spaghetti. A matcha pesto mixes tea with herbs and oil, without eggs. Here, ordinary dried spaghetti put the focus on how the sauce is made.

Our tip. Keep about 2 3/4 tbsp (40 ml) cooking water in a cup before draining. Adding about 1 1/3 tbsp (20 ml) at a time loosens the sauce without cooking the eggs longer.

Allergens. The listed ingredients contain eggs, milk, and wheat (gluten).