If your kids (and family!) are bacon kleptos, this is the dish for you. Many people get a bit threatened by authentic Italian dishes, so this is a great simple version to kick things up a notch. NOTE: You can certainly substitute gluten free noodles and turkey bacon…though we prefer the original version 😉
Katie’s Simple Carbonara (Serves 4)
Instructions & Ingredients:
LINGUINI:
1 – 16 oz. Box Linguini (authentic Italian dishes used spaghetti but kiddos tend to love the thicker noodle for this dish)
Bring large stock pot of water with a dash of olive oil and salt to a boil, cook pasta until al dente. When straining pasta, reserve approximately 1/2 cup of water from pasta.
BACON:
2 Packages – Thick Cut Bacon (Cook ALL but 6 or so pieces which will be used for making the sauce. All bacon cooked in advance can be cooled, chopped and placed in a bowl. IMPORTANT: Reserve fat drippings)
Cook bacon for 20-25 minutes in oven at 400 degrees. Place to the side and reserve all fat drippings for future dishes to add punch of flavor.
CARBONARA:
2 Eggs – (must be room temperature!)
1 C. Grated Parmesan
2 Tb. – Bacon Fat
1 Medium Chopped Onion
2 Large Chopped Garlic Cloves
1 1/2 C. Fresh English Peas (alike the Trader Joes Packaged Fresh Peas)
Splash of White Wine – for cooking off bits in hot pan
In a small bowl whisk the eggs and add parmesan cheese. Set aside.
Bring skillet to high heat, add 2 Tb. of bacon fat and add chopped onions. Cook until translucent and soaks in all the tasty fat goodness. Add peas and cook until al dente. Set aside.
In same pan add 6 strips of bacon that were saved from previously cooked package. Cook until crisp. Remove from pan and roughly chop. Keep same pan hot on the stove and add splash of white wine. Add cooked pasta and reserved pasta water. Add small amounts of hot pasta at a time to the egg and parmesan mixture…if you add too much at once the egg could become cooked and that’s no bueno. Once egg and cheese has become incorporated into half of the pasta, add the amount from bowl directly into the pan. Add 1/2 of peas and onion mixture that was placed aside. Serve Family Style in a large dish, placing remainder of peas and onion directly on top. Cheers!