As you might have noticed, I'll eat eggs with pretty much anything. Polenta, potatoes, bread, bread crumbs, salad, tomatoes, soup, on and on. Take it from a former egg hater - eggs elevate all of these dishes from something ordinary to sublime.
For pennies.
For around 75 calories.
So lovely.
This dish is a sort-of take on spaghetti carbonara, the classic bacon-n-egg pasta. Instead of tossing the pasta with raw eggs, cream, and lots of bacon, this version is instead tossed with a little bacon, garlic, herbs, and Parmesan cheese, then topped with a poached egg. Yeah. Gorgeous and delicious. Salty, chewy, creamy. (Without cream.)
In other words, completely party worthy. Or quick weeknight dinner worthy. You decide.
Sort-Of Spaghetti Carbonara
Serves 2
2 slices bacon, chopped
1 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
8 oz. dried spaghetti
1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese
2 eggs
salt & freshly ground black pepper
Set a large pot of salted water on to boil. Set a small saucepan of salted water on to boil.
Heat a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add bacon, saute until just crisp, then stir in garlic and fresh herbs. Remove from heat and set aside.
When the large pot of water boils, add pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Before draining, reserve 1/3 c. of the pasta cooking water. Drain pasta and return to the pot. Add the bacon, herbs, pan drippings, cheese, and pasta cooking water to the pasta. Add a generous sprinkle of salt and freshly ground black pepper, and toss to coat. Divide between two plates.
Turn heat down on the small saucepan of boiling water so that the water is barely simmering - small bubbles should barely break the surface. Crack one egg into a small dish and slide into the water. Quickly do the same with the second egg. Set the timer for 3 minutes. The eggs whites will look shredded, but that's OK. When the timer goes off, use a slotted spoon to scoop one egg out of the water. Tilt the spoon so the water drains completely off, then place the egg on top of one of the plates of pasta. Repeat with the second egg and second plate of pasta. Top eggs with a sprinkle of salt and a few grinds of black pepper each. Serve immediately.
