Feb 10, 2007
Pasta Carbonara
This is one of my favorite dishes and is not only easy to prepare but can have many variations which makes it very cook and eater friendly. This could even be eaten for breakfast as the main ingredients besides pasta are eggs, ham, and bacon – and in fact we are offered a egg scramble variation for brunch. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
Pasta – your choice really – Spaghetti is a classic but penne and others work well too!
2 oz pancetta (Italian bacon) or 4 slices regular bacon – sliced thinly
3 – 4 Tbl olive oil
4 oz ham in julienne strips( 1/4" by 2") Using prosciutto ham is preferred but you could even substitute Italian sausage as well
2 -3 tsp (or more) of fresh minced garlic
4 scallions – thinly sliced
4 eggs – lightly beaten
1/2 cup half and half (optional)
~ 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste ( on this lots of pepper adds a nice component but be careful of the salt as the bacon and cheese both are salty.
Preparation:
This is the easy part. Cook the pasta – meanwhile fry the bacon or pancetta in olive oil in a large fry pan or wok until almost crisp. Add the ham, garlic and any other protein ingredients you like*
Toss ingredients until completely heated through.
Have your other ingredients prepared and ready to go and then drain the pasta and add to the pan ( this is why you need a large pan).
Remove the pan from the heat and pour and sprinkle in the other ingredients and toss with tongs or a large spoon. The idea is to make a sauce with the eggs and the cream hlps in this – but is not absolutely necessary. Do not scramble the eggs but keep them wet.
Plate and top with the extra parmesan and any other garnish ( flat leaf parsley or nice steamed vegetable.
* Variations besides sausage could include grilled chicken, shrimp, or your choice.
