Orecchiette Carbonara

I've made Orecchiette with Brussels Sprouts before but this time I thought I'd do it without the Brussels Sprouts and use bacon - since the Sous Chef was smoking up a batch today.

Orecchiette Carbonara (Adapted from Carols Cafe Pasta Sauces)*

2 T olive oil
2 T butter
1 head of garlic, slightly smashed
1 onion, sliced thinly
6oz prosciutto diced  (or in this case freshly made bacon)
4 eggs
1/2 c heavy cream
1 c Parmesan, grated
ground nutmeg
freshly ground pepper
1lb pasta
reserved pasta water

In a large skillet heat butter and olive oil. Cook garlic until lightly golden. Remove from pan and set aside. Meanwhile, boil water and cook pasta. Add onion to the skillet and cook until caramelized. Remove from pan and set aside. Add prosciutto and saute a little. Remove from heat. Add onions and garlic back to the skillet. Whisk together eggs, heavy cream, Parmesan, nutmeg, and pepper. (Add more pepper than you think).  Depending on your timing, you might need to reheat the onion mixture, but when you add the pasta take the skillet off the heat. Add pasta to the skillet and add the egg mixture, tossing well. Taste to see if more salt or pepper. Add additional pepper if needed.

While this is no way a lo-cal post-holiday month meal, it is definitely one that you just have to calorie splurge on from time to time. Apparently, this was the time (I think it might have been some post-inauguration depression settling in).



* Carol's Cafe sadly closed last month. I had taken many classes there and each and everyone was fabulous. I have a fat binder full of recipes to prove it! I learned something new from each class. The food there was so different and delicious. I will miss it very much!