Spaghetti alla Carbonara
Happy International Bacon Day! Yes, today is the day! Bacon Day is celebrated the Saturday before Labor Day, but I don’t think many people need a special day to show their love for bacon. In fact, I have a feeling some may wish that every day was Bacon Day. 😉
Whether you are a purist who likes good ole pork bacon, a fan of turkey bacon or if you enjoy a good slab of veggie bacon, today is the day to celebrate that love. Personally I have never tried veggie bacon and I am a bit curious about it now.
Anyway, over the years we have posted a few bacon recipes:
- Bacon & Tomato Pasta Salad
- Mini Crustless Quiche
- Bacon, Egg & Cheddar Breakfast Cups
- Bacon Mac & Cheese
Today I will share another bacon recipe – Spaghetti alla Carbonara, Pasta Carbonara or Charcoal-Maker’s Spaghetti. The dish is usually made with spaghetti and has eggs, cheese, bacon and black pepper. You could substitute ham for the bacon, but its International Bacon Day today! 😉 The recipe comes from Italy and is believed to have been invented by charcoal workers. Some say that the ground pepper sprinkled on top of the dish looks like charcoal dust and that is how the recipe got its name. However it got its name, the most important thing is its tasty! 😉
Spaghetti alla Carbonara
Ingredients:
- 1 lb. spaghetti
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- 5 oz. bacon, diced
- 5 eggs yolks, beaten
- 5 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
- 5 tablespoons Romano cheese
- Freshly ground pepper
- Parsley for garnish, optional
- salt & pepper to taste
Directions:
1. Start cooking pasta according to package directions. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water.
2. Meanwhile, heat oil in large skillet, add bacon and cook until golden and still chewy. Transfer bacon to paper towel lined dish to drain. Add crushed garlic and cook 1 -2 mins. Return bacon to the skillet, keep heat on very low.
3. In a small bowl, temper the eggs by slowly whisking the pasta water into the egg yokes. Add cheeses and ground pepper. Mix well.
4. Once pasta is cooked, immediately transfer to the large skillet. Pour egg mixture over pasta and bacon. Toss all ingredients to coat the pasta – about 2 mins until the egg mixture is soaked up and thickened. If pasta looks dry, add a little more pasta water and mix well. Sprinkle with additional ground pepper, garnish with parsley, if used, and serve.
makes 6 servings
Enjoy!!
Printable Recipe:
