After last weekend’s hunting trip I decided to stay home this time and help get things ready before our sweet little Olivia arrives. It’s hard to believe she’s only three weeks away. I had a list of tasks for Meagan, including installing the car seat and preparing this dish. The car seat was the task I dreaded most, but it turned out to be surprisingly straightforward.
I originally planned to cook this for Saturday night as a special dinner for Meagan and me, but after my Aggies pulled off the upset over Bama, I ran out of time. As Meagan will tell you, I was completely absorbed in the game and its aftermath, so she eventually asked where we were going for dinner since my meal had to wait.
When I woke up on Sunday and realized the win wasn’t a dream, I decided to make this for lunch since Meagan had worked all weekend. I hoped it would make up for my lack of attention the night before. I adjusted the traditional carbonara slightly because I knew the raw eggs wouldn’t be fully cooked, so Meagan missed some of the classic silky texture — but she still cleaned her plate.
ENJOY!
Pasta Carbonara
2-3 servings
Ingredients
- 1/2 lb pasta
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 2 tbsp heavy cream
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 3 slices bacon, diced
- 1/2 cup onion, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Grated Parmesan cheese for topping
Instructions
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to the package directions. Add about a tablespoon of salt to the water as it heats.
While the pasta cooks, sauté the diced bacon in a pan until it begins to crisp. Add the diced onion and minced garlic when the bacon is nearly done and cook until the onion is tender. Transfer the bacon-and-onion mixture to a bowl and drain most of the fat from the pan, leaving just enough to coat the surface. While the pan remains warm, stir in the olive oil and reduce the heat to the lowest setting to keep it warm.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the beaten eggs, heavy cream, and a pinch of salt and pepper.
When the pasta is cooked, reserve a small cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta and immediately return it to the warm pan used for the bacon. Add the bacon and onions and remove the pan from direct heat — you want the pan warm, not hot. Toss the pasta so it is well coated with the remaining bacon fat and oil, then pour in the egg-and-cream mixture, tossing continuously. The heat from the pasta will gently thicken the sauce without scrambling the eggs. If the sauce looks too thick, add the reserved pasta water one tablespoon at a time until you reach the desired consistency.
Serve immediately with grated Parmesan cheese on top.
Did you make this recipe?
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