Sunday, December 23, 2012

Spaghetti Carbonara

I first had this dish in Florence and fell in love with the simple elegance of it.  Cooked pasta turns eggs and bacon into a rich silky sauce straight from heaven.  I make this at home when I can find farm fresh eggs or when I am lucky enough to get a few from friends.  Mangia Mangia!



8 slices of bacon (diced)
4 eggs
3/4 cup of Parmesan cheese (grated)
1 pound of spaghetti
2 tablespoon of olive oil
1 clove of garlic (minced)
2 tablespoons of fresh parsley (chopped)
Salt and pepper (to taste)
Instructions
To begin with this carbonara recipe, boil the spaghetti in a pot of water until it is done. Drain the pasta well and then toss it with one tablespoon of olive oil. Set it aside.
Cook the chopped bacon in a skillet until it is slightly crisp and then remove it and drain on a paper towel. Add one tablespoon of olive oil and heat it in the skillet. Add the minced garlic, cooking for a minute.  Place the cooked bacon in the pan along with the spaghetti. Toss it so that it coats and heats through. When I find it becoming dry or beginning to stick together, I normally add some more olive oil.
Add the beaten eggs and allow it to cook while continuing to toss with tongs until the eggs are just hardly set. You may then add a 1/2 cup of cheese. I don’t normally add salt because the bacon and Parmesan add plenty to this dish, although I do use a dash of pepper.
Sprinkle this completed carbonara recipe with chopped parsley and serve it while it’s still hot with the remaining Parmesan cheese on top.