Creamy Carbonara
If you ask me, a big bowl of carbs always pleases. A big bowl of carbs with bacon and cream sauce? Even better in my book! I've attempted to master a delicious yet simple Carbonara recipe for years and alas I believe I finally found a keeper.
A classic Carbonara sauce always features eggs, bacon and Parmesan cheese, and is usually made with spaghetti. I personally like a green element in a creamy pasta, so I threw in some petite green peas in my version. I'm personally a fan of farfalle or bow-tie pasta and thought they would make a create vehicle for the luscious sauce. I also wanted to kick it up a notch with some good pancetta in place of bacon. I mean, really any fatty pork bits will do, but if you want to impress a crowd without breaking a sweat, I would spring for the pancetta for a uniquely smoky kick.
The result? A rich and creamy, yet surprisingly light cream sauce with bursts of peppery, salty pancetta and vibrant peas. It was so good, Cole was springing for seconds! Serve it up with a light salad with a simple lemon vinaigrette and you have yourself an elegant meal in a matter of minutes. If you're cooking for two, you'll have leftovers for days!
Creamy Carbonara
Ingredients
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 large garlic cloves, minced
8 ounces pancetta, diced
1 cup 2% milk
4 large egg yolks
1/2 cup of freshly grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
Salt and Pepper
3/4 cup of frozen petite green peas
1 lb of farfalle, or your favorite pasta
Directions
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the garlic and cook over medium heat until golden, stirring frequently to not burn garlic, about 3 minutes. Transfer the garlic to a small dish. Add the pancetta to the skillet and cook over medium high heat, stirring occasionally, until golden and crisp and the fat has been rendered, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the pancetta to a bowl.
Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the fat from the skillet. Add the milk and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet, then pour into a medium bowl. Whisk in the egg yolks and 1/2 cup of the Parmesan cheese. Add garlic to the milk mixture.
Add salt to the pot of boiling water. Add your pasta and cook until al dente, or following the cooking instructions on the pasta package. In the last 1-2 minutes of cooking, add the frozen peas to the pot. Drain the pasta and peas and return to the pot. Add the cream mixture and pancetta. Season generously with salt and pepper and toss until the sauce coats the spaghetti. Transfer to bowls and serve immediately with more Parmesan.
