Ingredients
Equipment
Method
Cook the pasta
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, then cook spaghetti until al dente, about 8–10 minutes. Look for tender pasta with a firm center.
- Before draining, reserve 1 cup pasta water, then drain the spaghetti. Keep the reserved water warm for later emulsifying.
Mix the cheesy egg base
- Whisk together egg yolks, Cotija, Parmesan, tajín, and chopped cilantro in a bowl. Whisk until thick and evenly speckled with cheese and seasoning.
Char the corn and crisp the bacon
- Cook chopped bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crispy, about 8–10 minutes. You should see browned, curled bacon and a rendered fat pool.
- Remove the bacon and set aside, then add corn kernels to the bacon fat. Cook for 3–4 minutes until charred, stirring occasionally, with visible dark toasted spots.
Toss and serve
- Combine hot pasta with the corn mixture off heat in the skillet. The pasta should be steaming but not cooking in direct heat.
- Quickly stir in the egg mixture, adding reserved pasta water a little at a time until creamy, about 1–2 minutes. Watch for the sauce to turn glossy and cling to the noodles without scrambling.
- Toss in the crispy bacon, then season with lime juice, salt, and pepper. Serve immediately with tajín on top if desired.
Notes
Pro tip: keep the pasta off direct heat before adding the egg mixture, then stir quickly while drizzling in pasta water to emulsify into a creamy sauce. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge up to 2 days; reheat gently to avoid egg scrambling (add a splash of water). Freezing is not recommended for best texture. For a dairy-forward vegetarian swap, replace bacon with crisped mushrooms and use smoked paprika plus extra tajín to mimic the smoky bite.