Pasta alla Carbonara

Pasta alla Carbonara is a dish you see floating around in restaurants in the U.S. quite a bit. Like many other pasta dishes (Bolognese for example), the traditional Italian version is simpler than the ones typically seen around here. The classic Carbonara features bacon, egg, cheese, and black pepper - no peas, cream, or mushrooms. In my version, I have used fettuccine instead of the usual spaghetti, and good old American bacon instead of Italian pancetta or guanciale.

Ingredients

• One box dry pasta (3/4 - 1 pound)
• 4 strips thick cut bacon
• 4 cloves garlic
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup grated Parmiggiano-Reggiano
• Black pepper
• Salt
• Olive oil

Instructions

For the pasta: Boil water in a large pot. Salt the water liberally. Boil the pasta for 8 minutes, and set aside. Save a bit of the water, too.

For everything else: Cut the bacon into strips 1/4 - 1/3 inch in width. Heat a bit of olive oil in a large pan on medium heat. Start cooking the bacon. Mince the garlic and add that after a few minutes. Cook together until the bacon gets crispy, the fat renders, and the garlic gets browned. Turn the heat up a bit if needed.

While the bacon cooks, crack the eggs into a bowl and beat into a homogeneous mixture. Grate the cheese and mix it into the beaten eggs. Add the pasta into the pan and mix thoroughly to ensure it is hot and coated with the bacon fat. Now, remove the pan from the heat. Pour the egg-cheese mixture over the pasta and mix it in. The heat leftover will cook the eggs. Generously grind pepper over the pasta. Stir everything together for another minute or two. If desired, add a little of the pasta water to thin out the sauce. Serve with a little more grated cheese and parsley.