I am am a dedicated pasta lover. I sing the praises of a good marinara. My Butter Parsley Pasta Sauce holds a regular spot on our meal rotation. In a word, good pasta is my friend.
All the ingredients: Caramelized Onions, Capellini Pasta, Eggs, Pepper, Cheese and Bacon – only 6 ingredients and 20 minutes for this meal
My favorite pasta dish is probably Pasta Carbonara – the rich pancetta and egg yolk sauce makes me happy to my toes. Anytime I see it on the menu in a restaurant, you know that is what I am going for. Sadly, I’ve tried to make it at home a couple of times and ended up with pasta and scrambled eggs. I just can’t get something in the timing right….
Caramelized Onions and Peas – cooking up in rendered bacon fat. Come to think of it, just this would be delish in a omelet too.
When we came down to a dinner crunch earlier this week I decided to combine a couple of my leftovers with the IDEA of Carbonara, minus the complicated whisking. It involves a hidden treasure of an egg yolk.
Get the bacon as crisp as you can. It will crumble easier
I had leftover Caramelized Onions and a couple of slices of good bacon from making these Green Beans. Frozen peas are about the only frozen vegetable I ever use, but I always have them on hand. A couple of eggs, some parmesan cheese and lots of fresh ground pepper ended up meeting in my pasta bowl for a fast 20 minute dinner.
I always have thin Capellini or Angel Hair pasta around, though I often have to hunt for it since I never seem to keep it in the same place. It cooks quickly in only 2-4 minutes, so a fast and easy dinner can be on the table in 10 if you have sauce on hand and are in a rush.
My work around for making the delicate Carbonara sauce is to nest a egg yolk deep in a pile of pasta and let the hot pasta do the cooking and your dinner mates do the mixing. Sounds bizarre, but it works like a charm. No scrambled eggs here.
Bacon & Egg Cappellini with Caramelized Onions
Ingredients:
- 2 cups Caramelized Onions – if you have leftovers, that is best, but if not HERE are instructions for how to make them. They really are worth having around.
- 2 strips Bacon – good quality, uncured smoked bacon
- Fresh Ground Pepper – lots and lots of it
- 1/3 cup Fresh or Frozen Peas
- 1/2 box Capellini or Angel Hair pasta
- 2 Eggs
- Italian Grating Cheese – I am a dedicated Parmigiano Reggiano girl myself – the real imported stuff from Parma, Italy. It is so flavorful, a little goes a long way.
Already perfect Caramelized Onions just got perfect-er with rendered bacon fat
Method:
Put a large pot of water on to boil over high heat. Add some Salt and a bit of oil to keep the pasta from sticking.
Crack the Eggs and separate the yolks from the whites. The whites can be refrigerated for something else. The Yolks should be put into individual bowls and set aside for now.
Rough Crumbled Bacon adds all the salt you’ll need
In a skillet, fry the slices of Bacon until they are very crisp. Set them aside on paper towels to drain. When it is dry, crumble it into rough bits. If you sneak a piece or two, I won’t tell.
Do not remove the bacon fat from the pan. Add the Caramelized Onions and fry them until they are inundated with the rendered bacon fat. Add more fresh ground Pepper than you think you’ll want. Really, scores of it.
Next add the Frozen Peas to the Onions and heat them through. Turn off the heat under the skillet.
In the meantime, your pasta water should be boiling. Add the Capellini and stir to get all the pieces into the water. Return to a boil and cook. Start testing the pasta for doneness at 2 minutes.
Caramelized Onions & Peas, set to ring around the pasta. Egg Yolk & Cheese standing by
Have 2 pasta bowls set aside and waiting. Add some of the Onions and Peas to the bottom of the dish and scoot them to the side so that there will be a ring around your pasta nest.
A little pasta nest for that delicious yolk. It will become full-fledged sauce later
The moment the pasta is done cooking, turn off the heat. Do not drain. Scoop a small amount of pasta out of the pot and center in your pasta bowl. Grab one of those Egg Yolks that you have set aside and add it to the center – creating a little nest for the yolk. Top with more Pasta and two tablespoons Pasta Water. The heat from the pasta and the water will cook the yolk.
Bacon & Eggs Capellini with Caramelized Onions
Next, add more of the Onions/Peas, sprinkle the top with the crumbled Bacon and add a grate or two of Cheese. Oh, and more Pepper – just in case. Repeat all that with the second bowl.
Bacon & Eggs + Peas + Onions. Mmmmm…
To eat, just have your dinner-mate stir everything together in their bowl – why should you do all the work? The Egg Yolk with the Pasta Water will create a wonderful and rich sauce while the Onions, and Bacon will add bursts of flavor and the peas a touch of color.
What is your go to pasta dish? I’d love to hear about it in the comments!
-Lydia, unconventional bacon and egg lover
