Ramen Carbonara

Cook the bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until the bacon is crisp. Transfer cooked bacon pieces onto a plate lined with paper towels and set aside.

Drain any excess fat from the pan but leave the browned bacon bits—they contribute a ton of flavor to the dish. Over medium-high heat in the same pan, add the olive oil, hot water, and about half the cheese.

When the mixture comes to a boil, add the frozen peas and bricks of ramen noodles, stirring gently until the noodles are fully cooked and most of the liquid in the pan has evaporated, about 2-3 minutes.

Reduce the heat to low and stir the whisked eggs into the pan while stirring constantly for about a minute. Do not worry if the sauce looks too thin at this point—the eggs continue cooking after being taken off the heat, beautifully thickening the sauce. Stir in the reserved bacon, grated cheese, and some freshly ground black pepper. Remove from the heat.

If not making poached eggs, serve right away garnished with pepper and sliced scallions.

To top the pasta with poached eggs, bring a saucepan of water and the vinegar to a boil, and have a slotted spoon ready. Crack 2 eggs into a small cup or dish. Stir the boiling water until it creates a whirlpool, which will help each egg white wrap around itself into a tidy white cloud. Gently slide each egg into the boiling water and leave to cook for 3-4 minutes (or until the white is fully cooked). Remove with a slotted spoon and place a poached egg over each serving of ramen.