One of my favorite easy but incredibly delicious meals of all time would definitely have to be this pasta carbonara. It is one of the greatest dishes in the foodie world as it is quick and easy to prepare, taking almost no time at all, but having all of the best components. Richness, flavor, texture, color, and contrast.
That is why I love this pasta carbonara so much. I have been making it for years and it will always stay in rotation because it is all of those things listed above. So quick to make, it literally takes no more than 15 minutes from the moment your pasta water starts to boil. As for the ingredients used are things I almost always have them on hand.
- Parmesan
- Bacon
- Spaghetti
- Garlic
- Eggs
That’s all! Aside from seasonings (coarse salt and freshly grated black pepper are a must), that’s all you need for a satisfying, classically Italian entree. Bon appetite!
Tip: For creamy, glossy pasta, do not drain the pasta water when your pasta has finished cooking. Lift your al dente pasta straight out of the water into the the saute pan and leave the cooking water in the pot so that you can easily access it to add ladlefuls of the cooking water to the pasta as you toss in the egg and cheese. The water is what will loosen up the sauce and give it that creamy texture.
Pasta Carbonara
Ingredients
- 500 grams spaghetti
- 1½ tablespoon coarse salt (for the pasta water)
- 225 grams bacon thinly sliced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup grated parmesan
- ½ teaspoon coarse salt for the egg mixture
- ground pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley optional
- extra grated parmesan for garnish
Instructions
- Fill a stockpot with 5 quarts of water. Bring to a boil.
- Add the 1½ T. of Coarse Salt to the boiling water.
- Add your dry spaghetti, making sure to stir several times in the first few minutes of cooking to prevent sticking. Cook according to package directions, until almost al dente.
- Mix together the eggs and parmesan in a small bowl, along with the salt and a few grinds of black pepper.
- When the pasta is about halfway done cooking, heat a large saute pan to medium/high heat. Add the bacon and cook until crisp. Add the bacon and saute for 30 seconds. Remove from heat if pasta is not yet finished cooking.
- When the pasta is almost al dente, remove it from the pasta water and add it to the saute pan. Toss the pasta in with the bacon and garlic, coating it well in the bacon grease.
- Turn off the heat under the saute pan at this point.
- Add the parmesan/egg mixture and one ladle-full of pasta water to the pasta. Toss it well, moving quickly. Add more pasta water as desired to loosen up the sauce and make creamier. *Make sure the heat is off completely or you run the risk of curdling the egg in the sauce.
- Plate the pasta and garnish with a little more parmesan and fresh ground pepper, if desired.
