Onsen Tamago Pasta
This rich, delicious dish is my twist on classic pasta carbonara. But instead of raw eggs, I prepare it with onsen tamago, which I think makes it more interesting. What’s onsen tamago? It literally translates to “hot spring eggs,” which means the egg whites are soft and still runny, but the yolks have a creamy consistency, resembling soft-boiled eggs. It is a standard breakfast treat at the countless hot springs that dot Japan. Since I was young I’ve loved eggs cooked this way. The keys to preparing them are timing and temperature—both have to be exact. Also, the raw egg has to be cold, so be sure to keep the eggs in the refrigerator until the moment you’re ready to cook.
Recipe information
Yield
serves 4
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Prepare an ice bath and place a large pot of salted water over medium-high heat. Using a kitchen thermometer, bring the water to 180°F. Add the eggs and cook for 13 minutes, keeping the water as close to 180°F as possible. At that 13-minute mark, the eggs will be cooked through, so remove them and submerge them in the ice bath (be sure to keep the cooking water, and not drain it). Once cool, remove the eggs from the ice bath and set aside.
Step 2
Return the same pot of water to a boil and stir in the linguine. Cook according to the package instructions.
Step 3
While the pasta is cooking, place a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook, stirring often, until it’s crisp, about 6 minutes. Stir in the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for 1 minute longer. Add the cream and let it come to a boil, then decrease the heat to low and simmer for 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside.
Step 4
When the pasta is almost finished cooking, add the eggs (still in their shells) to the water to reheat for 1 minute. Drain the pasta and set aside the eggs.
Step 5
Add the pasta to the sauté pan with the sauce and combine well. Increase the heat to high. Mix in the Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, and butter, and cook until the butter has melted. Add the parsley and toss until it is well combined.
Step 6
To serve, divide the pasta with sauce among 4 plates. The eggs should be just cool enough to handle by now, so gently tap them on the counter to break the shells. For each one, peel off half of the eggshell and scoop out the egg with a spoon. Place an egg on top of each plate of pasta. Serve warm.
