Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Pasta alla Carbonara

Thank you to Michelle, one of our facebook fans, for suggesting I make this!  WOW!  Was this ever TASTY!!!  I've never had Carbonara before, but I did see Rachel Ray make it on her show once and thought, boy would that be good!  AND IT WAS!!!!

Warning:  This is NOT low fat!  LOL  I repeat, this is NOT low fat!  Ok, that is my disclaimer!

So, you know how cooking bacon on the stove makes a HORRIBLE, TERRIBLE, NO-GOOD mess????  Well, cooking bacon in the Slow Cooker is NOT! ;)  YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!  That's the first good reason you should try this in the Slow Cooker!  This also makes your house smell AMAZING!  No burnt bacon smell here folks!  Even my 3 year old kept telling me how good this smelled!

This was really very simple to make.  I was a little unsure when I started this if it would work out, but it actually did!  YAY!!  I'm so happy!  I'm going to get right to the recipe below so you can hurry to the grocery store to get whatever you don't have!

Pasta all Carbonara

Ingredients:
1 pkg. thick-cut bacon, sliced into bite-sized pieces
1 chicken bouillon cube
1 tsp. (or less) crushed red pepper flakes
2 tsp. (or more) garlic powder (or use a few cloves of fresh garlic.  I can't eat it, so we don't use them)
2 egg yolks
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 lb. rotini pasta (or any other kind of pasta you like), cooked with 1 Tbsp. salt
1/4 cup of pasta water (the water you cooked the pasta in)
1/2 cup (or so) flat leaf parsley, chopped

Directions:
Place your cut-up bacon in the bottom of your slow cooker.
(Try and separate it as much as you can so the pieces are not all completely stuck together)
Cook on LOW for 7-9 hours.

The last 1/2 hr-45 minutes of cooking, turn your Slow Cooker up to HIGH and add your bouillon cube, garlic powder and crushed red pepper flakes.  Give it a stir.


Boil your water and salt and cook your pasta according to the package instructions.
When your pasta is done, reserve your 1/4 cup of water.
In a bowl, mix together the egg yolks, pepper and Parmesan cheese.
Next, whisk in the 1/4 cup pasta water to temper your egg yolks.
 Now, pour your pasta into the slow cooker, pour the egg/parmesan mixture over the top and toss in the parsley.  
Mix all together and Voila!!!!!
I hope you enjoy this!
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13 comments:

  1. You didn't have to drain off the fat from the bacon? Or is this why you state it is not low fat? Not that a pound of bacon, even drained, would be low fat. But who doesn't love bacon?

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  2. LOL! Nope, you don't drain the fat. And yes, this is why I say, this is NOT low fat! Not by ANY means!!!!!!!!!!

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  3. I wonder if it would taste just as good with turkey bacon.

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  4. Not sure Tammi.....probably not quite as good ;)

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  5. This sounds like it would be tasty but how much parsley? it just says 1/2 (or so)flat leaf parsley, chopped.

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  6. How about an easy to print version of this recipe? I don't need all the pictures, it's a waste of expensive ink.

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    Replies
    1. First, please remember that I take the time to add all of my recipes here , on my own time, for free.

      I'm sorry you feel you have to waste your expensive ink. Currently, my site is getting a makeover and some functions have been lost and/or are not working properly. Unfortunately, my print friendly button is currently "down." I cannot tell you an exact date or time it will be back up and running at this point in time.

      For today, if you need to print it, please copy and paste the text into a word document and print that way. If it doesn't work for you, please let me know and I'd be happy to copy and paste it into an email for you if you send me your email address.

      Take care,
      Hope

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    2. Hi Hope,

      May I nominate you to become an Ambassador - you are, without a doubt, a very diplomatic and tactful person !!

      Your recipes are wonderful, incidentally !

      Line310

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    3. Why, thank you, Lin310! ;) Some days more than others! LOL :) And thank you! I'm happy you enjoy them!

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  7. do you think i could add chicken in with the bacon?

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  8. This looks delicious. I, for one, love carbonara. Mmmm. Breakfast AND dinner.
    I like this site :: Movers in San Antonio information

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  9. Amazing photos in amazing light as always! Feels like I should pick up some strands of the spaghetti with my fingers, off my computer screen!

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