[Photo: Grant Kessler Photography]

If you want to throw together dinner but don't have a ton of time to prepare a shmancy menu, just pick one hearty dish that is sure to impress. The most popular menu item at newbie Chicago hotspot Cibo Matto at theWit Hotel is chef Todd Stein's Bucatini Carbonara, a pasta dish comprised of just a few ingredients, one of which is a

raw duck egg yolk. I am a huge fan of duck eggs and I personally like to poach them and serve atop a bed of greens, for bunch. Also, bucatini is one of my favorite pasta shapes, think a thick and chewy spaghetti, so for me this dish is an easy win.  If you feel squeamish about eating a raw duck egg, feel free to fry it over easy then add to pasta. Try it out yourself!

Bucatini Carbonara

6 ounces bucatini pasta

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

4 ounces pancetta, sliced one-quarter-inch thick and cut into one-quarter-inch dices

2 tablespoons freshly grated Peccorino Romano cheese, plus more for serving

1 duck egg yolk

Salt

1 teaspoon cracked black pepper

2 tablespoons coarsely chopped parsley

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta until al dente. Drain, reserving 3 tablespoons of the cooking water.

 Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the oil. Add the pancetta and cook over moderate heat until most of the fat has been rendered, 7 minutes. Add the hot pasta to the skillet and stir to coat, 1 minute. Remove from the heat. Stir in the reserved pasta cooking water, the 2 tablespoons of grated cheese and the cracked black pepper. Season with salt. Place the pasta into a bowl and sprinkle with parsley and pepper, and more cheese.  Place duck egg yolk on top of pasta and serve.