I MADE ANOTHER PASTA MEAL MY PICKY EATER LIKES - WaaaaaHOOOOO!
Teresa! Are you readin' this post? I've been thinking of you all afternoon.
As soon as Maggie figured out that Mom wasn't trying to pull a fast one on her. She quietly, without trying to bring attention to herself, CHOWED DOWN! I don't know what was up with her today? She just didn't want to let me know that she liked it, BUT SHE ATE THE WHOLE THING!
Sometimes the empty plates are all I need to see. Ya' know what I'm sayin'?
As for Max & I, we needed plenty of fresh ground pepper and a pinch of salt sprinkled on top, then we were very pleased. Even Max (8 years old) said, "fresh ground pepper really makes it taste good!" I believe he's discovering the spicy limits of his tastebuds, right now. Anyhoo, let me tell you how to put this together.
HERE'S ALL IT TAKES
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 cup bacon, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- 1 pound spaghetti
- 3 eggs, at room temperature
- 3/4 cup freshly grated Romano
- salt & freshly ground pepper
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. In a medium fry pan, heat the oil and saute the bacon and the garlic until the bacon is brown. Remove & discard the garlic. Keep the bacon and it's drippings hot until needed.
Add salt and the spaghetti to the boiling water, and cook until it is al dente.
While the pasta is cooking, warm a large serving bowl and break the eggs into it. Beat in the the Romano cheese with a fork, and season with salt & pepper.
As soon as the pasta is done, drain it quickly, and mix it into the egg mixture. Pour on the hot bacon and ALL it's drippings. Yeah you read that right! Pour it on! Stir well. The heat from the pasta and bacon drippings will cook the eggs. Serve immediately.
HERE'S THE VISUAL AIDS
In Italian, this meal is called, Spaghetti alla carbonara.
Yummy. Yummy. Yummy.
LOL! Don’t you love it when that happens?
Your Creamy Penne Pasta and Chicken is still Lilly’s favorite. We love Carbonara. It is a great go-to meal. When I do it, I usually add some of the pasta water into the egg mixture then leave the heat on while pouring it over the pasta. You do have to be sure to keep stirring though so the eggs don’t set up. Definitely one of our faves. 
I’ve never eaten this but I’m going to give it a try.
You have a really great looking blog…
Carbonara is a favorite here — and guess what? We made a point to order it while in Italy this summer and it tastes just like we make at home. Always comforting, huh? We’ve tried it so many ways, it’s scary. Sometimes, we chop up tomatoes and include them — maybe something about BLT’s in our heads there. I’m saying “we” because my husband likes to make this, too. Your “picky eater” has excellent taste! Congrats to you.
Just a comment the italians when they were making this dish (my husband was born & raised in Rome)did not have a microwave oven so it makes you wonder how they did it back then. My husband perfers sauteing onions & bacon together and when the spagetti is done put that on the spagetti and tossing it all together. Sprinkle Paresan or Rameno and lots of Pepper and elimate the eggs and you don’t have to worry about them. My husband said his mother never used eggs.
Good morning Jan!
The dish you just described is in the same Italian cookbook, called Spaghetti all’amatriciana, Spaghetti with Bacon and Onion.
Oh wait a second, this recipe calls for 1/2 cup dry white wine.
Specifically, “Add the wine to the 1/2 cup cooked bacon and onion, raise the heat, and cook rapidly until the liquid boils off. Add 1# canned chopped tomatoes, 1/4 tsp thyme, salt & pepper. Cover and cook over moderate heat for 10-15 minutes. Then toss with cooked pasta.”
Ok that’s not exactly the same, but it sounds good.
I like the sound of the way your husband prefers his spaghetti. It’s super simple.
Knowing now your true Italian husband is looking on, makes me nervous to discuss Italian food.
I’m not Italian in the least little bit. I only love the food and I’m working out of a GOOD cookbook to learn more.
Please keep sharing any tips or stories you & your husband have to help us all along. There’s nothing better than getting true accounts of how it’s REALLY done in the old country.
This is one of my favorite dinners – a friend who spent time in Italy came back from there and made it for us like this and ever since then I have added it to my dinner menu's
It is very good and filling dish!
Karyn Campbell
Ohio
Email Subscriber
the spaghetti with eggs and bacon combo looks divine. This looks so absolutely fabulous! The perfect dinner after a day on the lake!