I’m so excited and I just can’t hide it!!! My middle son finished boot camp last week and is now a Petty Officer Machinist Mate in the United States NAVY. He’s in Charleston for two years at school and then will end up on an aircraft carrier.
I’m so proud of all my boys. I feel so blessed. It’s my dream to have them all in one place where I can cook them up a great big dinner.
I know they love bacon and pasta and this little beauty I cooked up would be a great hit with them. I only intended to make a half portion but I was feeling a bit rogue and threw in the whole box.
Now see those pretty grape tomatoes in the photo up there? Well ignore them, pretend they don’t exists. I was going to put those little darlings into this dish when I suddenly felt that sun dried tomatoes would just add a little special something. So I completely ixnayed the omato-tays.
To be called “carbonara” there are four key ingredients that apparently haven’t changed or been challenged since it was invented somewhere in the mid 20th century (by some unknown person, in some unknown place). Carbonara has to have
- egg
- bacon
- pasta
- cheese
Outside of the quartette it’s a fair game playing field; which is nice because the dish is actually pretty versatile.
If you’re going to cook something where most of the flavor comes from the ingredients and not spices and sauces and other trimmings, do yourself a favor and use good ingredients. Happy pigs bacon, cheerful chicken eggs, and veggies delighted will make a difference. That package of store brand bacon – put it down! Walk away. It’s better left where you found it.
See that package of $5 AppleGate bacon, yes, take the plunge, you’ll thank me later.
Now, cook the pasta al dente, cooked but a nice “snap” with the bite. For this version I threw a 1/2 cup of peas to the last two minutes of cooking. It’s my pasta and I’ll do what I peas. (seriously had to do that).
Incorporating the egg just right is the trick. Whip those babies up with salt and pepper and get ready to move like wind Bullseye.
As soon as you drain that pasta, fast, superfly fast, toss it back in the pot while it’s still hot and throw in the eggs. Now toss baby toss. Mix quick because you want the heat of the pasta to cook the egg but where they are incorporated as much as possible
Once this is done you’re home free. By this point the bacon should be done (cooked just before it starts to crisp). Cut up the bacon and toss in the rest of your ingredients.
Now take a deep breath, ready…. ok pour in the bacon fat. Yes you can do it trust me. It’ll be ok I promise.
See you did it!!
Ok just add in your cheese and, yep you guessed it, toss it all again. Think of it like a baby, the more you toss it in the air the happier it gets, the more it laughs.
Now Mr. Sweet Butter and Prince Charming are not fans of peas ( I really don’t understand this phenomena) but like good little diners they ate them and actually love this dish. It takes a lot of tossing but this is something that a beginner cook could make and really impress the socks off their date.
Perfect for a brood of growing boys, all heading out in the world to woo the women with their incredible charm and good looks.
Just like mine. 
Live, eat and be merry.
- 1 pound Linguini, spagetti or other long pasta
- ⅓ to ½ pound Bacon
- 4 cloves Garlic, sliced
- ⅓ cup Peas
- ⅓ cup Sun dried tomatoes in oil, drained
- 2 Eggs, room temperature
- ¾ cup Parmesan and Romano cheeses
- 1 tablespoon Dried basil OR ¼ cup fresh cut basil, chopped.
- Salt & pepper to taste,
- Cook pasta al dente & add peas in the last two minutes of cooking.
- Meanwhile cook bacon in a skillet until the fat starts to cook off. Add the garlic and cook bacon until it starts to crisp.
- Remove and set aside, retain bacon fat for later.
- In a small bowl whisk the eggs with salt and pepper.
- Working very quickly, drain pasta and immediately return to pan.
- Add egg and toss like crazy. The heat from the pasta will cook the eggs and the eggs will incorporate throughout the pasta.
- Add sun dried tomatoes, chopped bacon, garlic and basil. Toss again.
- Finally add cheese and give it one last good toss up.
- Salt and pepper to desired taste.
- Take a deep breath and serve.
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