Creamy Carbonara Pasta

We have been eating pasta in tomato-meat sauce for succeeding occasions.  So, my taste buds craved for something different. I am not a big fan of pasta in white creamy sauce but we have an overstock of spaghetti noodles at home and we have bacon sleeping in the freezer.  So, I decided to make use of these ingredients together with other vegetables and spices that we have at home.

A little bit of history, Carbonara was derived from the Italian word, carbonero, which means charcoal.  The carbonara pasta was first made as meal for the charcoal workers in Italy.    In America, the spaghetti in creamy white sauce was referred to as coal miner’s spaghetti.    

Italians use raw eggs instead of milk to create traditional carbonara dish.  I prefer milk over raw eggs.  

Here, you don’t have to be a charcoal miner to enjoy this creamy carbonara pasta.  

Creamy Carbonara Pasta

Ingredients:

300 g. spaghetti noodles

200 g. bacon, cut into small slices  

120 g. mushroom pieces and stems

400 ml. evaporated milk

3 tbsp butter (about 2 medium slices)

2 tbsp Olive oil (pomace or pure)

2 tsp extra virgin olive oil

½ tbsp. salt

½ tbsp. ground pepper

½ tsp dried oregano

Grated parmesan cheese (optional)

Evaporated milk and mushroom pieces and stems

Bacon gives carbonara its smokey meaty flavor 

Chopped garlic and onions are a must!

How to Cook Carbonara:

Noodles:

Cook pasta noodles until al dente.  Set aside.

Bacon:

Fry bacon slices until caramelized but not brown.  The bacon is done when the fats are transparent or clear.  Set aside.

Cream Sauce:

1. Drizzle olive oil in a pan.  Sauté garlic and onion until onions wilt a bit.  Put 2 slices of butter and continue to stir until butter melts.

2. Pour the evaporated milk. Stir and let it simmer for 3 minutes over low heat. 

3. Put mushroom stems and pieces and simmer for 2 minutes over low heat.

4. Put the fried bacon slices, stir well and let it boil for 5 minutes over low heat.

5. Season with salt and pepper then sprinkle with dried oregano. Stir well for 1 minute.

6. Garnish with extra virgin olive oil.  Simmer a bit. Turn off stove.

Creamy carbonara sauce 

Pour the noodles over the cream sauce.  Mix and toss well.

You may sprinkle parmesan cheese if you like.

Voila! Creamy carbonara pasta!

Hi-ho! Hi-ho!  I could imagine Snow White’s seven dwarfs anticipating a meal of carbonara spaghetti after a long day’s mining work. 

The folks at home did not do any mining work but they emptied the casserole where the creamy carbonara pasta has been.  Nothing but just the odor of the creamy sauce could be traced. 

Creamy Carbonara Pasta, You’re So Beautifood!