Two words – Pasta Carbonara! I just can’t imagine someone who doesn’t like some kind of pasta carbonara. Even though the original Italian carbonara calls for pork bacon, there are different variations of the dish that may include different kinds of veggies (like peas, zucchini, and broccoli), mushrooms, and even chicken instead of bacon. No matter which kind you prefer, there is always that great simple egg and cheese sauce that makes carbonara so tasty.
The origin and history of the dish and its name are unknown, but many people believe that the name comes from the Italian word Carbonaro which means a charcoal burner and that the dish was first made as a hearty meal for Italian charcoal workers. The dish is unknown before the World War 2, so it is a relatively new recipe.
Pasta Carbonara is The Best for Those Busy Weeknights
Pasta carbonara is one of those meals that are super easy and super quick to prepare. so is ideal for those busy weeknight dinners, when you don’t have enough time to prepare anything else, or when you just CAN’T! So, instead of grabbing your phone to order a take-out, which is probably going to take forever to get to you, at least 45 minutes (which is again more than enough for you to prepare your own meal), you can go to your kitchen and make this wonderful tasty dish in just 15 minutes! And you get to customize it to your wishes, in the matter of serving size and ingredients. Isn’t that great?
In this recipe, that I am going to share with you, I use fresh rosemary which is, in my opinion, one of the most wonderful herbs that exist on our planet (call me crazy, but I just LOVE fresh rosemary). When you combine rosemary with bacon and garlic, you get this amazing aroma that fills your kitchen and makes your mouth start watering.
You might also like:
- 11 Quick Meal Recipes Done in 30 Minutes or Less
- 17 Slow Cooker Meals For Long Busy Days
- Zucchini Savory Muffins
- Satarash – Traditional Balkan Side Dish
How To Make Perfect Pasta Carbonara?
To make this recipe quickly it is really important to multitask. No, it is not going to be difficult. By the time the pasta is cooked, you can prepare everything for the sauce. So all you need is combine everything a toss until you have that lovely creamy sauce.
First, you want to bring the water to boil. In the meantime, you can chop and mince the ingredients. Add salt to your water and let pasta cooks according to the package instructions.
Now, put the skillet over the medium-high heat. Immediately add bacon so that the fat can render as the heat is rising. If you are using some other ingredient instead of bacon you will have to heat up the skillet and add some vegetable oil. This way you’ll prevent sticking and burning of your food. After about 2-3 minutes, when bacon starts to sizzle, add the minced garlic. After about 30 seconds, when garlic releases its aroma, add rosemary, stir and take off the heat.
Whisk together the egg and Parmesan cheese, and mix in 5-6 tablespoons of the cooking water. Drain pasta, add to skillet with bacon, pour over the egg mixture, and toss everything quickly until you get the velvety custard-like sauce. DO NOT turn the heat on again. To make this sauce the residual heat of pasta is enough. If you turn the heat back on, you are going to end up with scrambled egg coating. And that is not what you are aiming for, trust me.
Also, if you are using something other than the bacon, make sure that you adjust cooking time and seasoning. Bacon is already salty enough, so you don’t have to use more salt in this recipe.
Now it is time to sit down and enjoy this wonderful meal.
Anchy
Yields 2-4 servings
Quick and easy dinner for busy week nights. Pasta carbonara is made out of the staple ingredients like bacon, eggs, pasta and garlic.
5 minPrep Time
10 minCook Time
15 minTotal Time
Save Recipe
Ingredients
- 230 g (8 oz) of pasta*
- A good pinch of salt (for cooking pasta)
- 8 slices of smoked bacon or pancetta, roughly chopped
- 1 clove of garlic, finely minced
- 2 stalks of fresh rosemary, finely chopped
- 1 egg
- 70 g (2 oz) of Parmesan cheese (grated)
Directions
- Cover pasta with boiling water and cook according to the instructions on the box.
- Put the skillet on the stove over medium-high heat. Add bacon/pancetta straight to the skillet. As it heats up, the fat will start to render, so you will not need to add more oil.
- When the bacon starts to sizzle (after about 2-3 minutes), it is time to add minced garlic and stir.
- After 30 seconds, when garlic releases the aroma, add rosemary and stir everything around for one minute, and then set aside.
- In a small bowl whisk the egg with the grated Parmesan cheese. Add to it 5-6 Tbsp of water that pasta is cooking in, and whisk together.
- When pasta is cooked, drain it and add to the skillet. Pour over the egg and Parmesan mixture (do not turn on the heat), and quickly toss everything to mix and to coat evenly. The residual heat is going to cook the eggs and make a creamy custard-like sauce. Make sure to mix quickly so you don't end up with scrambled eggs.
- Serve while still warm and smells amazing.
Notes
*You can use any kind of pasta that you want, just make sure that you've read the instruction how to properly cook the pasta that you are using.
Calories
Fat
Carbs
Protein
Did you enjoy this post? I would like to hear what you think in the comments below. If you make it don’t forget to post it on Instagram and tag me @simply.anchy or use hashtag #gimmetheyum, because I love to see all of your kitchen creations. Also be sure to follow me on Instagram, Pinterest and Facebook, so that you never miss any of my recipes and posts.
Would you like to serve healthy meals to your family every day of the week, but you can't seem to find enough time for cooking?
A little bit of planning ahead will solve this problem! Let me show you how to easily and efficiently meal plan and prep your food for the best cooking results! This course is TOTALLY FREE, all you need to do is sign up for our Newsletter below!
