Carbonara Chronicles

The basic idea of this post is simply to share a recipe that I can say from experience (now with third-party confirmation) is easy to learn but rewarding to cook and eat.  However, looking below, it's grown a bit with extraneous ramblings.  Just so you're prepared.

It started a few weeks back.  As often happens, I was hungry and thinking about dinner, but uninterested in overpaying and waiting for delivery.  So with an assist from Google, I brainstormed what I could cook without running out for more supplies.


I don't know how carbonara came to mind.  I wouldn't have called myself a fan at all before.  But it fit so perfectly.  The fridge was well stocked with the necessary "breakfast" ingredients -- eggs and bacon.  That and a few pasta basics -- spaghetti, parmesan, garlic -- and I could take a stab at one of the simpler carbonara recipes online, courtesy of the Food Network.

I considered the first attempt a success, although I figured with the taste, texture and a few rumblings in my tummy that I could do better.  Thus I began to apply some trial and error, maybe even a little scientific method.  The next few times brought experiments with timing all the elements, reducing the dryness of the final product, adding garnishes (don't.).

So, my notes on the recipe:

• Start the oil just a minute or two after the pasta goes in the pot.
• Bacon in with around five minutes to go.  It hits that perfect point quickly!  One minute it looks like it'll end up undercooked, the next it's crisping up...
• I suck at cracking eggs.
• Don't strain the pasta.  Just pour out as much water as you can without losing any noodles, and the rest of the pot gets tossed with the rest of the mix.

Mine came out looking like this: