Author: Susanne at dishwithme.com
Oh, man, does Kelsey ever LOVE this recipe! It is most definitely one of her favorites. She would probably enjoy having it once a week, if I would fix it that often.
Spaghetti Carbonara is one of those super easy dishes you can throw together in about 30 minutes, which makes it a pretty good candidate for a weeknight meal.
This recipe is infused with savory bacon and a smooth creamy sauce, making it a winner, winner for a weeknight dinner!
HELPFUL HINTS FOR SPAGHETTI CARBONARA
Traditionally, Spaghetti Carbonara is made with pancetta. I don’t typically have pancetta on hand, but I do typically have bacon on hand, so that is what I use.
BE SURE to slowly add the BOILING pasta water to the egg mixture immediately to cook it.
For the parmesan cheese, I prefer either shredded or shaved over the powdery stuff in the plastic bottle, but use what you like, or whatever you have on hand. You could, also, use a blend of cheeses, if desired. Good choices are Asiago, Pecorino or Romano.
Fresh parsley is often called for in Italian recipes. I don’t prefer the taste of fresh parsley, so I typically replace it with chopped fresh basil leaves. You use what you prefer.
Again, as a general rule, I prefer to have all of my ingredients chopped, diced, grated, measured, etc. before I start the cooking process. It is especially important in dishes like this that come together really quickly.
Left over refrigerated spaghetti carbonara sometimes clumps together or dries out a bit, so for re-heating leftovers, simply drizzle it with some EVOO.
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LINKS TO PRODUCTS OR EQUIPMENT USED
- You need a nice large pan for this recipe.
- You will also need a whisk, like this one.
- A grater is also a must.
LINKS TO RECIPES TO PAIR WITH THIS ONE
- My recipe for THE BEST ROASTED GARLIC would be an excellent choice to pair with this dish. Slather it on some buttered bread and viola, you’ve made magic happen.
Equipment
- 1 Large frying pan All-clad
- 1 Grater Deiss
- 1 Whisk
Ingredients
- 8 slices bacon diced into small pieces
- 1/2 cup water for cooking bacon
- 3 medium fresh garlic cloves grated
- 16 ounces spaghetti noodles dried, prepared per package instructions, with the addition of 1 tablespoon EVOO and 1 teaspoon Kosher salt.
- 1.5 cups shredded or shaved parmesan cheese plus extra for topping
- 2 full eggs
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 25 grinds coursly ground black pepper
- fresh basil leaves or parsley, whichever you prefer rolled and sliced for topping
Instructions
- In a large frying pan, add bacon and water. Simmer until the water is evaporated and then continue cooking it as you normally would until it is crispy.
- When bacon is finished cooking, remove it to paper towels.
- Keep the bacon drippings!
- In the same pan, cook the grated garlic for ONE minute.
- In a large bowl, add the cooked garlic, 2 tablespoons bacon fat, eggs, egg yolk, parmesan, Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. Whisk it all together. Set aside.
- Cook the spaghetti per package instructions, with the addition of the EVOO and Kosher salt.
- While the pasta water is still boiling, fill a one cup measuring cup with the boiling pasta water and slowly drizzle it into the egg mixture.
- Reserve another cup of the pasta water just in case you need it to thin down your mixture. Set aside, you may or may not need it.
- Drain the pasta.
- Next, pour the egg/water mixture over the hot pasta. Mix well.
- Add the crumbled bacon and chopped fresh basil leaves (or fresh parsley, whichever you prefer) and mix well, again.
- Taste to see if any adjustments in seasoning are needed.
- Serve hot.