A few years ago we were eating at one of our then favorite restaurants in Seattle, Palomino, when I tried their carbonara.  Carbonara has always been one of our favorite Italian pasta recipes, and I had had carbonara in other restaurants previously.  However, on this particular day for some reason it struck me as completely sublime.  From there forward I ordered it every time we went to Palomino, something unusual for us as we normally try to sample different dishes even in our favorite restaurants.  Alas, some time ago they removed it from their regular menu, forcing us to try to create a carbonara sauce recipe of our own.  We tried traditional, not so traditional, and more, until we created one that we loved.

Ingredients

2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
6 ounces pancetta in ¼ inch slices, chopped into ¼ inch cubes
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 1/3 cups heavy whipping cream
1 cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese
6 large egg yolks
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
1 16 oz package of spaghetti
2 cups cooked chicken breast chopped in to bite size pieces
½ cup thawed frozen peas
Salt and black pepper
1/3 cup toasted pine nuts
1-2 tablespoons finely grated lemon peel

Preparation

In a large sauce pan, heat the oil over medium heat.  Add the pancetta and saute until it is brown and crisp, about 8 minutes.  Add the garlic and sauté an additional 30 seconds. Allow to cool slightly. Drain.

In a large bowl, whisk together the cream, cheese, egg yolks, basil and 1/4 cup parsley.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Cook the spaghetti according to package directions, stopping the cooking a little early so that it has a slightly firm center. Drain.

Add the chicken to the pan with the pancetta and garlic, stirring to combine. Add the spaghetti, peas and the cream mixture and cook over medium heat, tossing constantly, until the sauce coats the spaghetti thickly (4-5 minutes).  Be careful not to let it boil or you will end up with scrambled eggs.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Serve in pasta bowls topped with the pine nuts, lemon zest and remaining parsley.