Roman Holiday Italian Spaghetti Carbonara

The delicate flavour of Italian carbonara lingered in Sarah & Jeremy’s memory so profoundly, they determined to recreate it when they returned home to Canada. After several attempts, they found the key missing ingredient, dry white wine. It is now a family favourite! Note: authentic carbonara is egg-based and has no cream.

Serves 6
Level of Difficulty: Medium

1 pound spaghetti
1 tablespoon olive oil
8 slices bacon, diced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
¼ cup dry white wine
4 eggs
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 pinch salt and black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

1. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook spaghetti pasta until al dente. Drain, toss with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and set aside.

2. Meanwhile in a large skillet, cook chopped bacon until slightly crisp; remove and drain onto paper towels. Reserve 2 tablespoons of bacon fat in the pan, add remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and heat in reused large skillet. Add chopped onion, and cook over medium heat until onion is translucent. Add minced garlic, and cook 1 minute more, being careful not to over-cook it. Add wine & cook 1 more minute.

3. Return cooked bacon to pan and add the cooked spaghetti. Toss to coat and heat through, adding more olive oil if it seems dry or is sticking together.

4. Add beaten eggs and cook, tossing constantly with tongs or large fork until eggs are BARELY set. It may be wise to take it off the heat first so the eggs remain creamy and don't fry. Quickly add 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, and toss again. Add salt and pepper to taste.

5. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve immediately with extra Parmesan cheese at the table.

When Carla Johnson was a teenager, her Mennonite grandmother caught her mom pouring red wine into a pan of chicken cacciatore and scolded, "Cooking with sin, are we?" That delightful memory inspired her blog & award-winning book "Cooking With Sin: Great Recipes Dipped in Alcohol & Wrapped in a Wonderful Story!"

Complementary Wines: Chardonnay, Fruit Wine: Sparkling Apple, Gewürztraminer Late Harvest, Pinot Grigio

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