Pasta Carbonara is not for the faint of heart. I have seen many recipes that warn to be so careful adding the eggs because they will curdle, which is exactly why I have NEVER EVER attempted to make it. I don't know about anyone else, but the idea of spaghetti and scrambled eggs mixed together sound absolutely disgusting! But I stumbled upon this recipe and decided to try it.
I got this recipe from a cookbook that my Mother and my Sister swear by "The America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook" I got it as a gift after my sister got it for my Mom, and I have yet to make a recipe out of it that sucked. So when I saw this Carbonara recipe, I figured I'd give it a shot. My daughter's reaction "This is how to get me to eat peas." was enough to convince me to make it again.
The ingredients are basic:
3 large eggs
1/4 cup of Pecorino Romano cheese
1/4 cup Parmesan (both grated, I got them combined and grated from my fav store)
3 garlic cloves, minced (I used jarred garlic for ease)
8 slices of bacon chopped fine
1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 cup dry white wine (and a glass for the cook of course!)
1 pound pasta (whatever you like)
Salt and Pepper to taste
Optional:
parsley, Frozen peas(you can either just thaw and add or steam them slightly in the microwave, however you like them)
First, this is my take on cooking with wine. If it calls for "dry" and you like dry, go for it. I am not a dry fan, and my theory is if you don't want to drink it, you won't wanna eat it either. But, too sweet and it turns into syrup. I use a semi-dry Riesling in this case...this one is my favorite but you use what you like.
Here's the difference in this recipe from others. Preheat your oven to 200 degrees and put an oven safe pot in to warm up. (I used my favorite enamel dutch oven)
Start to boil your pasta in salted water to your desired doneness. Reserve at least 1/2 cup of pasta water for later. while that is bubbling away, whisk eggs, garlic and cheeses together (and parsley if desired), set aside. (one other tip. Use room temperature eggs if possible. I find the sauce comes together better this way) In a skillet, cook the bacon and olive oil till the bacon is crispy. (about 8 minutes) I know it seems weird to cook bacon IN oil but trust me, it's worth it! Then, add wine to pan (carefully!) and simmer until it reduces a little (about 5 minutes)
Now, here's where it all gets interesting. When the pasta and bacon sauce is ready, pull out the pot from the oven. Add pasta and bacon sauce into pot. Stir together then SLOWLY add the eggs and cheeses mixture while stirring (tossing) constantly. The combination of the hot pot, pasta and bacon mixture will cook the eggs and make the sauce creamy and delicious. Add pasta water to loosen if needed. Then, add your peas. I then put the whole thing back in the oven with the top on for about 5 minutes to keep it warm and added some of the pasta water before I served it. That's it!
It's a pretty simple recipe with a big payoff when it's done. My picky eaters loved it. And when my other half says "You can make this again!" I know it was a hit. It is also really good as leftovers. You can warm it up in the microwave and add a tiny bit of water again and it's delicious!
I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we did!
