A Family Favorite: Spaghetti Carbonara

I give my mom all the credit for teaching me to cook. Many of the dishes I cooked when I lived on my own were ones she had shown me to make. As I lived on my own longer, got married, and had a family, I stayed relatively true to those dishes only making minor adjustments. One of the dishes that was a favorite of mine growing up has now become a favorite of my step-daughter's: spaghetti carbonara. This recipe is by no means low-fat but it is delicious and I have made minor changes to my mom's recipe to include butter substitute leaner bacon and whole wheat pasta. Her original recipe called for a pound of regular spaghetti and 1 pound of bacon.

1 box whole wheat thin spaghetti (we like Barilla) or spaghetti of your choice
1 package center cut bacon (12oz) cut into small pieces
3/4 stick I Can't Believe It's Not Butter for baking (or any butter substitute)
2 large cloves of garlic crushed
1 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
5 eggs beaten
fresh ground pepper to taste

In a large non-stick stock pot, cook the cut-up bacon until crisp. Remove the bacon and drain on paper towels. Pour off the grease from the pot being sure to reserve a small amount for later and set the pan aside.While the bacon is cooking, bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the pasta. Cook the pasta according to the instructions for "al dente". Drain the cooked pasta and set aside.


Heat the pot used to cook the bacon in to medium-low and add the butter and garlic. When the butter is just melted and the garlic begins to sizzle, add the cooked pasta. Using tongs or a large fork and spoon, toss the pasta until it is coated in the garlic butter. Add the cooked bacon and be sure to incorporate it well into the pasta. Next, add the Parmesan cheese. The trick is to make sure you constantly toss and mix the ingredients: keep the pasta moving! Next slowly add the egg and continue to keep the pasta moving and mixing the ingredients well together. As the egg begins to set up, it is especially important to make sure you are bringing up the bacon and cooked portions of egg up from the bottom of the pan. When the egg reaches the consistency you prefer (I like my pasta "wet"...my mom makes this for my dad and makes it "dry"), remove pot from heat and add fresh ground pepper. I serve with Parmesan on the side for those who like it extra cheesy!