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Big Taste Small Budget – Spaghetti alla Carbonara

August 23, 2010 By 2 Comments
PinExt Big Taste Small Budget Spaghetti alla Carbonara



There is just something so comforting about a big bowl of pasta covered in cheese.  Spaghetti alla carbonara has all of the qualities I adore in a meal –  easy, completely satisfying, and downright delicious.  This recipe uses some really simple ingredients to create rich layers of flavor that are just divine.  Spaghetti alla Carbonara doesn’t require a lot of effort so it’s the perfect meal for unwinding after a busy week, or for an impromptu date night.  Because it’s so simple to prepare, it’s important to use quality ingredients to get the best flavor.  I beg you to use the good Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese for this one – it makes all the difference.

Before I started cooking this dinner I made some unbelievably easy bruschetta for us to eat while I got the ingredients ready for the spaghetti.  (Click below for the recipe.)  The brightness of the flavors in the bruschetta really work nicely with the richness of the spaghetti.  And it’s a perfect way to use some of those beautiful tomatoes that will soon be gone from the garden.  I highly suggest making the bruschetta before you cook this meal in particular, because as soon as the bacon for the carbonara hits the pan you will have company in the kitchen asking if that indeed is bacon they smell.  Very few ingredients can get people interested in dinner faster than bacon.  So the bruschetta will give them an excuse to stick around and keep you company while you cook.

spaghetti+carbonara+4 Big Taste Small Budget Spaghetti alla Carbonara
Spaghetti alla Carbonara
1 pound spaghetti
2 tablespoons olive oil
5 ounces thick cut bacon (about 5 pieces), chopped into small pieces 
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 large eggs
1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
black pepper
1 handful flat leaf parsley, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
Note: You want to make the sauce while the spaghetti is boiling because it’s the heat from the pasta that will cook the eggs.  
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add pasta.  Drain well, and reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid.  
Heat olive oil in a large skillet with deep sides over medium heat.  Add bacon pieces.  Saute about 4 minutes, until crisp.  Add garlic and saute another minute.  Add hot drained spaghetti to pan and toss for 2 minutes to coat with the grease from the bacon.  
Beat eggs and parmesan cheese in a bowl until lumps are gone.  Remove pan from the heat and pour egg mixture into the pasta, stirring quickly to prevent the eggs from scrambling.  
At this point you can add some of the reserved pasta water to thin the sauce slightly if you’d like.  Just add a little at a time until you get the consistency you prefer.  Season with pepper and check to see if salt is needed.  Pile pasta into bowls and serve with more parmesan.  
recipe adapted from Tyler Florence

For the Easy Bruschetta recipe click HERE

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Comments

  1. Dolphingrrl says:
    August 23, 2010 at 1:50 pm

    I'm super picky when it comes to food and that looks good!! (minus the bacon… I don't like bacon) Thanks for the recipe!

    Reply
  2. Margaret says:
    August 24, 2010 at 11:59 am

    Please consider using Egg Beaters or Pasteurized eggs for this recipe – especially with the recent rise in Salmonella from eggs. I love Carbonara, but I never trust that my pasta is hot enough to completely cook the eggs.

    Reply

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