Classic Junkie: Pasta alla Carbonara

If you can believe it, the first time that I EVER had Pasta alla Carbonara was this past April. I really can't believe that it took me so long to try such a delicious dish, especially considering my incredible affections for carbs and bacon.

My mom and I had just finished up our last full day in Rome, and wanted to grab some authentic Italian cuisine. The problem was, we had been walking through Rome all day, and were completely exhausted! All of the restaurants in the neighborhood of our hotel were pretty fancy (no jeans allowed), so we were left wandering the surrounding streets looking for the perfect little hole in the wall restaurant.

Thankfully, we finally found it. It started out perfectly - the first course was a delicious (and healthy) artichoke salad, followed by a shared Pasta alla Carbonara. Then things took a turn during the third course...

This is what happens when you order off of a menu in a language you don't understand...

Foul fish aside, I have been thinking about that Carbonara ever since we left! I try to eat healthy as much as possible, so I had to wait for the perfect cheat day to try out this recipe...and it was totally worth the wait!

Here's what you will need:

5 strips of Bacon, cut into dime size pieces
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
2 tsp. minced Garlic
1 whole Large Egg
3/4 cups Freshly Grated Parmesan*
1/2 container (about 7 oz.) of Spaghetti
Salt, for boiling
Pepper, for flavor

Directions:

1. Bring enough water (with salt) to a boil in a large pot, and add pasta. Cook according to pasta directions.

2. While the pasta is boiling, add Olive Oil and uncooked bacon to a pan. Cook over medium heat until the bacon is crispy. Reduce heat and add garlic. Cook for about 3 more minutes (you don't want the garlic to burn). It should look something like this:

Golden, greasy & delicious

4. While all of this is going on, scramble the egg in a bowl. Once it is well scrambled, add 1/2 cup of Parmesan and stir until well mixed. Set aside.

3. Drain the pasta and put it back on the pot. Add the bacon, oil and garlic mixture to the pasta while it's still hot. Toss until well-combined (it's best to use tongs).