Dinner Tonight: Carbonara



For 8 years, I babysat 2 of the most precious kiddos in the entire world.  Over the 8 years, I was blessed to be a part of their family (and still am today).  During that time, Lori (said kiddos mama) would often talk about her love of carbonara.  She loves it.  I mean…seriously…she told me approximately 1,243 times that if I ever went to Lake Como, Italy, I had to have it at a specific restaurant where I would become madly in love and obsessed with it myself.  Well…two years ago, hubby and I (and baby…I was 7 months pregnant), went to Lake Como, Italy where I ate the famous carbonara and too fell in love with it.  When we came home from Italy, I researched and researched different ways to recreate the yummy pasta at home (but make it simple enough to throw together on a week day night).  I think I’ve hit the nail on the head.  People often think carbonara has cream in it…however, it doesn’t.  Carbonara gets it’s creaminess from egg yolks..hmmm…curious…read how to make it below.

Shopping List

1 pound spaghetti noodles

a few tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)

8 slices of bacon (I use turkey bacon but use what ya got!), chopped

4 cloves garlic, chopped

1 bunch of scallions, chopped (like 8-10 scallions)

1 cup chicken stock

2 egg yolks, beaten

Handful of Parmesan cheese

Basil to garnish

Bring a large pot of water to boil and drop your pasta in to cook to al dente.  In another skillet, saute bacon in a few tablespoons of EVOO.  Once bacon crisps up, add in garlic and half your green onions and saute about a minute.  Stir in chicken stock and “de-glaze” your pan (you know, get all the bits off the bottom).  Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer.  Drain pasta but reserve about a cup of the hot cooking water.  Add pasta to skillet.  Pour a little bit of the hot water into the dish where you have your beaten eggs and whisk with a fork.  (This will temper your eggs so that they don’t scramble in your skillet.)  Turn skillet off and add in your tempered eggs to the pasta.  Add in the cheese and toss until the eggs and cheese are incorporated with the pasta.  Top with extra cheese and torn basil.

That’s it.  Super simple.  Super yummy.  And a super easy way to recreate a classic from Lake Como, Italy.  Thanks for the inspiration LLT!  Love you!