Spring Carbonara

Wash the Swiss chard and remove the ribs from the leaves. Slice leaves into ribbons. Set aside.

Slice the leek in half, and then slice again the long way. Rinse between each layer to remove any sand. Slice thinly.

In a tall-sided (3” or more) pan, bring water to a boil for the pasta. Add some salt. Once it’s boiling add the pasta and cook for the lowest suggested time on the package, as it will cook a bit more in the following steps. Drain pasta in a colander, reserving 1 cup of the pasta water. Toss the colander every once in a while to keep the pasta loose until ready to incorporate it back into the sauce.

In the same pan, sauté leek on medium heat in the olive oil until soft, about 3 minutes. Add half of the garlic and continue to sauté for about 30 seconds, being careful not to brown the garlic. Add the chard and wine, tossing to coat. Cover and let it simmer until the wine has reduced to a thick sauce and the chard is wilted, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Pour into a bowl and set aside.

Meanwhile, beat the eggs and Parmesan together in a mixing bowl, stirring well to prevent lumps. Set aside.

Using the same pan, on medium heat, cook the pancetta until crispy and some fat has rendered, about 4 minutes. Add the remaining garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the leek mixture and combine, stirring up the brown bits, for 2 minutes.

Toss the pasta in the pan with the garlicky pancetta and greens and toss for 1-2 minutes, coating it in the sauce, working the noodles as you go to loosen them up and warm them.

Remove the pan from the heat and pour the egg/cheese mixture into the pasta, tossing and mixing constantly until the eggs thicken and being careful not to scramble them. Thin out the sauce with a bit of the reserved pasta water, until it reaches desired consistency.

Season the carbonara with the freshly ground black pepper. Top each serving with freshly chopped parsley and additional cheese.