Carbonara di Pesce (Fish Carbonara)

Method

1. Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a pan over low heat. Add very thinly sliced onion and cook gently until softened.
2. Add chopped smoked salmon and a generous grind of black pepper. Cook slowly, stirring, until the salmon becomes crispy and the onion has completely melted into the oil.
3. While the salmon cooks, prepare the egg mixture: in a bowl, combine egg yolks (2 per serving for large eggs, 3 for small) with plenty of grated pecorino romano and black pepper. Mix until a thick, creamy paste forms. Adjust with more pecorino if needed.
4. Cook the pasta in salted boiling water until al dente. Reserve a mug of pasta cooking water.
5. When the salmon mixture is ready, add the drained pasta directly to the pan with a splash of pasta water. Increase the heat to high and toss vigorously, risottando the pasta (finishing cooking in the sauce).
6. Remove the pan from the heat. Let it cool for about a minute until the temperature drops to 60–70°C (140–160°F). Add the egg-cream mixture and toss quickly and continuously off the heat to emulsify. Add a little more pasta water if the sauce seems too thick.
7. Serve immediately, finishing with extra grated pecorino and a crack of black pepper.