Quick Bacon & Mushroom Carbonara {Powernap}
This is the latest installment of my Powernap column. The series where I share quick, easy food that can be made for all kinds of situations. Powernaps are short and sweet, and so are these recipes. These are the things I make in a jiffy when I need a quick snack, am in the mood for a recipe experiment, or simply need to clean out the pantry.
Last week was a whirlwind. We had barely arrived home from Columbus Day weekend in Cooperstown before we were off to Lima, Ohio for my friend’s wedding. Cooking-wise it didn’t leave me a lot of time to stock up on my weekly groceries and dig into a big week of meals. Instead, I just took each day as it came and whipped up a few of our favorite meals on the fly. One of these was our stand-by quick carbonara. My brother, Uncle Will, is a huge fan of this simple recipe so we always eat it when he is around. It is perfect for when he visits because I can literally make the whole meal in 15 minutes.
To add an extra flavor and healthy kick to this favorite pasta I made this into a powernap experiment and added some yummy sliced mushrooms. We never, ever tire of mushrooms and I loved the way the mellow earthy flavor complimented the bacon and light cheesy sauce. Plus, I knew the mushrooms wouldn’t last the weekend in the fridge and I didn’t want them to go to waste! We polished off this dish in one evening with just enough leftover for me for lunch the next day – the perfect powernap recipe for a busy week!
Recipe
Quick Bacon & Mushroom Carbonara
Ingredients
| ¾ | box of dried linguine |
| 3 | slices bacon, chopped into 1-inch pieces |
| 1 | cup sliced mushrooms, rinsed and patted dry |
| 2 | eggs |
| 1 | cup coarsely grated Parmesan cheese |
| 1 | teaspoon, or more, freshly cracked black pepper |
Instructions
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the linguine according to box directions.
2. While the linguine is cooking add the bacon to a large, wide skillet and cook for about 5 minutes, or until almost crispy and cooked through. Then, add the mushrooms and cook for another 5 minutes, or until they release their water and soften.
3. When the linguine is finished cooking set it aside and reserve 1 cup of the pasta water. Then, scoop the linguine into the skillet with the cooked bacon and mushrooms and swirl the pasta around so that it gets coated completely with the bacon and mushroom sauce.
4. In a small bowl whisk the eggs, Parmesan, and pepper until completely smooth. Then, remove the skillet with the pasta from the heat and toss in the egg mixture, swirling the pasta to make sure it is completely coated. Add the pasta water a little bit at a time to thin out the eggs, swirling with tongs as you do. You will probably only need to use about 1/3 to ½ cup of the pasta water to make the sauce thin enough to coat all of the pasta. Serve!
Naptime Notes
Naptime Recipe Serving ideas
This simple dinner is an Italian staple to which I’ve added a mushroom twist. Other vegetables that might work well are thinly sliced shallots, which will cook with the bacon. Or, you can try finely chopped dried baby spinach and swirling it into the hot pasta when it is added to the skillet with the bacon.
Naptime Stopwatch
15 minutes total
Naptime Reviews
This easy dish is always a hit and everyone loved the mushrooms this time!
