Ingredients

Ragu:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ¼ cup finely chopped celery
• ¼ cup finely chopped carrot
• ¼ cup finely chopped red onion
• 12 ounces (375 grams) ground dark-meat chicken
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 branch Italian parsley
• Pinch dry thyme
• 2 tablespoons white wine
• ¾ cup chicken stock
• Salt and freshly ground pepper

To Finish:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2/3 cup diced bacon or pancetta
• 4 egg yolks
• 2 ounces (60 grams) grated Pecorino Romano cheese
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 pound (500 grams) fusilli pasta

Method

Heat oil in a frying pan over medium-low heat. Add celery, carrot and red onion and sauté gently for 10 minutes or until vegetables are soft and lightly browned. Turn heat to medium-high, add chicken, bay leaf, parsley and thyme and cook for 3 minutes, stirring, or until chicken is lightly browned.

Add white wine and cook for 2 minutes or until wine has almost completely evaporated. Add half a cup chicken stock and cook for 10 minutes over medium heat, adding more stock as needed, until chicken is cooked through and still slightly saucy. Discard bay leaf and parsley. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Reserve.

Heat oil in a separate frying pan over medium heat. Add bacon and sauté for 8 minutes or until fat is rendered and bacon is crisp. Remove from pan using a slotted spoon and blot on paper towels. Reserve.

Combine egg yolks, pecorino, bacon, parsley and pepper in a large bowl and set aside.

Cook pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente. Drain, reserving about half a cup of the cooking water. (Pasta water gives substance to sauces, making them a little creamier. It's a good addition to most pasta dishes.)

Combine a quarter cup of the cooking water with egg yolk mixture and quickly toss the hot pasta, stirring to coat. If necessary, add more cooking water to make the sauce even more creamy. Add reserved ragu, toss and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serves 4.