How long does it take to cook pasta? THAT'S how long this delicious Italian pasta dish takes, and I bet you already have all the ingredients in your kitchen. Once I learned how to make this meal a while ago, it became one of my basic favorites. I never even have to think twice about it. It's a simple recipe to keep in your back pocket so you can whip it out anytime and impress whoever you're cooking for!
Carbonara (To quote Rachael Ray, "The only recipe you'll ever need...")
1 lb pasta (linguine, or ziti, whatever you like)
1 pkg bacon or pancetta (pancetta gives it more of a "kick", but my regular grocery store doesn't sell pancetta--bacon works fine)
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 cup white wine
1 egg yolk
red pepper flakes
handful(s) grated parmesan cheese
salt, pepper
olive oil
This recipe is so easy, I'm going to explain it exactly how I make it, start to finish...
Start a pot of water boiling for the pasta. Get a skillet out for the rest of the dish. While waiting for the water to boil, set the table and gather other ingredients. Crack an egg and discard the whites. Beat the yolk slightly. Get out the white wine and red pepper flakes. (Go ahead and pour yourself a glass, trust me, you have time!) Chop the garlic. Chop the bacon into bite size pieces. Once the water is boiling, salt it liberally and drop the pasta. Heat the skillet with some olive oil and get the bacon cooking over medium heat. Once the bacon is brown, add the garlic and red pepper flakes. After about 1 minute, add the white wine to deglaze the pan (reduce heat). At this point, take a ladle of pasta water and add it to the egg yolk and beat with a fork to temper it. The pasta should be done cooking at this point. Drain it and add it to the skillet with the bacon. Add the tempered egg and dump about 1/2 cup or more of parmesan cheese in. Mix it altogether and season with salt and pepper. Voila! Dinner is served. Serve with a ceasar salad and bread. (For my ceasar dressing recipe, see Day 5.)
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