There are versions of comfort food in every culture. For some, it’s macaroni and cheese, while for others, it’s garlic soup or lentil stew.

I never really thought  much about the comfort food of other countries until recently. I love my own comfort food, like  buttermilk biscuits or the aforementioned macaroni and cheese. But then a friend started telling me about an Italian dish he particularly loved: spaghetti carbonara.

Spaghetti carbonara is, in my mind, the Italian equivalent of having breakfast for dinner. Spaghetti, eggs, cheese, bacon or Italian sausage…it sounded perfect to me.  I decided to try it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The recipe couldn’t be easier. Here it is:

Simple Spaghetti Carbonara

16 oz, dried spaghetti

4 large eggs

8 oz. bacon, preferably thick-sliced, or 8 oz. ground Italian sausage

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup grated Romano cheese

Method:

Place four whole eggs (still in shell)  in bowl of warm water to bring to room temperature.

Boil water in a large stockpot; cook spaghetti according to package directions.

While water is boiling, chop the bacon and saute over low-medium heat.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk the four eggs, and add the cheeses, stirring in.

Reserve 1 cup pasta water, then drain pasta. Add the hot pasta to the egg mixture;  stir to coat every strand with the cheese mixture.  The egg will cook from the heat of the pasta; add the chopped bacon, stirring in. If the pasta seems too dry, add the reserved pasta water. Stir it in, and serve immediately while hot.

If you’re looking for a fancy, complex meal to impress dinner party guests, this isn’t it. 🙂  But if you’re looking for a warm, cozy, flavorful meal to share with close friends or family around the kitchen table or snuggled  under a quilt on the couch, this is it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Enjoy a quick meal and comfort food … what’s your favorite comfort food?

Other pasta dishes you might like:

Chicken-asparagus pasta toss – dinner in under 15 minutes…and so delicous!

Pasta e fagiole – a favorite, hearty soup

Pasta alla checca – so simple you don’t even have to cook the sauce!

Copyright 2013 Stephanie Hill Frazier. All rights reserved.