If you like bacon and eggs for breakfast, you’re gonna LOVE them for dinner when you make Classic Italian Pasta Carbonara. Classic carbonara includes five simple ingredients which are probably already in your kitchen. Bacon, eggs, pasta, cheese, and pepper are all you need. The Eggs should be super fresh. Spaghetti noodles work great, although any good pasta will do.
The cheese can be Parmigiano-Reggiano, or a combination of Parm and Pecorino/Romano.
Did you know that Parmigiano-Reggiano is made from cow’s milk, and Pecorino Romano is made from sheep’s milk. Neither of these cheeses contain lactose, so this cheesy dish works great for people who are lactose intolerant.
Pancetta and bacon are both made from the pork belly, but Pancetta is salt-cured and dried, while bacon is typically smoked. You can use either in your carbonara, but Pancetta will give your dish a saltier flavor while bacon will be a bit more smoky.
Carbonara is made by combining a mixture of eggs and cheese to hot drained pasta then adding cooked bacon. It all happens quickly so try these tricks to making a delicious creamy Carbonara your friends and family will love!
Make sure your eggs and grated cheese are beaten with a whisk in a separate bowl with a couple tablespoons of pasta water. This helps your sauce bind and keeps it from breaking when it’s added to the pasta.
Once the pasta is cooked, drain it… and put it immediately back into the hot pot with the burner turned off. Then add the egg/cheese mixture quickly. The pasta should be hot enough to "cook" the egg mixture, but not so hot as to scramble the eggs.
For great pepper flavor, I like to use pepper bacon, or sometimes I just sprinkle coarse black pepper, or even Montreal Steak seasoning on my smoked bacon to season it. Cook diced bacon in a skillet or in the oven until lightly crispy, then add it to your pasta right before serving.
Serve immediately while it’s hot with a sprinkle of nutmeg for added nutty flavor and white pepper for a little kick.
You’re gonna love it!
Prep Time:
30 Minutes
Serves:
4-6 People
Recipe Ingredients:
1 Pound dry spaghetti or other pasta type you prefer
5 Fresh large eggs
16 Slices thick cut smoked bacon, cut into bite-sized pieces
3/4 Cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus several tablespoons for garnish
3/4 Cup PecorinoRomano
Freshly cracked black pepper or Montreal Steak Seasoning (or use pepper bacon)
2-3 Teaspoons Sea salt
2-3 Teaspoons Nutmeg
Optional: Crushed red pepper for garnish
Recipe Steps:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
In a small bowl whisk the eggs well and add the cheese to the mixture, then set aside.
Fill your stock pot with about 6 quarts of cold water and two-three teaspoons of sea salt (salting your water adds flavor to your pasta).
While water is coming to a boil, spread cut bacon in one layer on a sheet pan and season lightly with heavy grind pepper or Montreal steak seasoning. Separate the pieces of bacon as much as possible so they don’t touch (this keeps moisture from steaming your meat, and will result in crispier bacon).
Cook bacon in oven uncovered until crispy - about 15-20 minutes. Remove from oven, drain bacon on a paper towel to remove excess fat, and cut into 1/4 inch pieces.
Add pasta into boiling water. Be sure to stir pasta gently after you immerse it in the water to separate and avoid the pasta sticking to bottom of pot.
Boil until pasta for 9 minutes or according to package directions. Be sure to start your timer once the water returns to a boil because adding the pasta to the pot cools the water.
Add 2 tablespoons of pasta water to reserved egg and cheese mixture and beat gently with a fork to combine.
Once cooked, strain pasta, and return it immediately to the hot pot.
While pot and pasta are both hot, add the egg and cheese mixture. Toss quickly and vigorously until egg and cheese coat all the pasta and it looks creamy.
Add 1/2 of the cooked bacon to the mixture and toss gently to incorporate.
Serve up your Carbonara on the plate and garnish each serving with more bacon, a sprinkle of Parmigiano-Reggiano, and a pinch of nutmeg and a dash of white pepper.
Offer extra Parmigiano-Reggiano and red pepper flakes to guests as optional garnish.