ABC Pasta

Arugula, Bacon-Carbonara! 

With a dish like carbonara, you can be as creative as you like while still using the classic sauce/technique.

This time, I used savory bacon, spicy arugula & sweet roasted garlic to really bump up the flavor. 

What You Will Need: Pasta, parmesan cheese, egg yolks, minced onion, roasted garlic, crispy bacon, arugula & basil.

Bring a pot of water to a boil.

Press the garlic cloves out of the bulb and mash against the cutting board to turn into a paste. Set aside.

Heat a large, high sided sauté pan with olive oil & butter. Saute your onions.

Add in the cooked bacon pieces.

Place in your pasta.

Use tongs or a large spoon, move the pasta around once its in the pot so it doesn't stick together.

Add in the mashed roasted garlic. 

Turn the heat to low.

Separate the egg whites from the yolks.

I cook the egg whites and treat my puppy dog to a special dinner.

Sprinkle in a good amount of parmesan cheese into the yolks & mix.

Reserve at least 2 mugs of the starchy cooking liquid.

Once your pasta is cooked to al dente, place into the sauté pan.

With one of the reserved mugs, whisk the liquid into the egg mixture. 

Pour slowly, whisk quickly!

Pour the liquid over the pasta & toss.

While mixing the pasta with the bacon...onions....roasted garlic goodness, add in the fresh arugula.

Remove the pasta from the heat and give a couple more tosses, the sauce should thicken up. If it gets to thick, use the extra reserved mug of cooking liquid to get the desired saucy constancy.

Garnich with fresh basil & of course.....extra parmesan cheese!!!!

I know that in this picture all you can see is the noodles & garnish....but underneath those creamy noodles is wonderfully wilted arugula, glorious roasted garlic & salty, thick bacon!

Once you learn the basic components of a dish, its at that moment that you can bring in all the flavors you love to make your own! 

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Enjoy & Always Cook with Love!