Creamy Gochujang Pasta

Pasta in a creamy, slightly spicy sauce with a smoky meaty bite.

Creamy Gochujang Pasta

Serves 2-3

I like to think of this as carbonara with a twist. Rich and creamy with a solid dose of umami.

“Recipe Tips:

1. The type of cheese you use in this recipe is based on what you have. I used a supermarket blend of cheddar, mozzarella and gouda. Use what you have in your fridge, the cheese choice is really forgiving.”

Ingredients

500g (1 lb) dried spaghetti

200g (a little less than .5 lb) smoked duck or thick cut bacon, cut into bite sized pieces

5 garlic cloves, minced

Sauce

70g (heaped 1/3 c) cheese, shredded

2 large eggs

3 T gochujang

1 T soy

1.5 t fish sauce

1.5 t gochugaru

.50 t ground black pepper

Garnish

1 scallion, sliced thinly

Recipe Know-how

1.      Bring a large pot of water to the boil and salt well.

While the water comes to the boil, make the sauce.

2.      In a medium bowl combine all sauce ingredients, mixing well. Set aside.

3.      When water is boiling, add pasta. Cook 2 minutes shy of package directions.

While pasta cooks, continue on with the recipe.

4.      In a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, cook the smoked meat or bacon until crisp.

• Drain off all but 1 T of fat leaving the meat in the pan.

• Add garlic and cook 30 seconds.

• Using tongs, add pasta to pan. Reduce heat to low.

• Stirring constantly, slowly, mix .25 c hot pasta cooking water into the bowl with the sauce.

• Pour sauce into the pan.

• Toss pasta while shaking the pan until the sauce has thickened and pasta is well coated, about 90 seconds to 2 minutes.

As necessary, add more pasta water to create a thick creamy sauce to coat pasta.

5.      Serve topping with scallions.