# Spaghetti Alla Carbonara (made with homemade cold smoked bacon ends and pieces)



## indaswamp (Mar 4, 2020)

I made 30# of dry cured applewood bacon in February. After slicing, I had about 3# of ends and pieces. Time to use some, and this is one of my favorite ways to do so! Spaghetti Carbonara!

First, get the pasta water started so it'll be boiling when we are ready to add the spaghetti (2# of spaghetti pasta) . Next, we grate the Parmesan cheese (4 cups for this recipe), dice the bacon (1/2lb.) , mince the garlic (8 cloves), and separate the egg whites from the yolks into bowls (7 eggs).  scramble the whites for about a minute, set aside.






The original calls for Pecorino Romano cheese, but I had 2# of Parmesan  I needed to use up.
Next, fry down the diced bacon and render some fat to simmer the diced garlic in...






(I know....that pot is abused. Not mine, belongs to the firehouse..)
After the bacon is done turn the fire off and remove bacon to a bowl to cool (not on paper towels! More on this later), add the pasta to the boiling water. Boil 8 minutes (take 2-3 minutes off the cooking time). After the pasta is in the water, add the minced garlic to the bacon fat (no heat) and let it simmer with the residual heat while the pasta cooks. Now take the bowl of egg whites and add the cheese to it. mix real good. When the garlic is slightly brown around the edges, add about 2 TBSPS. of hot pasta water to the pan to quench the simmering and deglaze the bits from the bacon frying. stir and scrape the pan. Now add the whites and cheese. NO HEAT. stir in good to temper the eggs and melt the cheese gently.





When the pasta is done, drain on in a colander. Now add the egg yolks to the pot and stir in good,





couple 3-4 turns on the pepper grinder, and add the bacon and pasta to the pan. Toss the pasta about a minute, and it's done!







Be careful not to overcook the eggs and scramble them. The cheese I used was very dry, not melted all the way in the pic....but it was still so good!!!


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## creek bottom (Mar 4, 2020)

That looks freaking awesome!!! LIKE!


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## 73saint (Mar 4, 2020)

Never made it, never had it.  Heard of it, but never seen it.  This looks incredible.  Nice, simple write up, thanks for sharing Inda!  I'm adding this to my list for sure!


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## indaswamp (Mar 4, 2020)

Oh...also....take a bit of pasta and pass that in the bowl you put the fried bacon to get all that fat into the dish. pass some pasta in the bowl with the cheese and the egg whites too...


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## GATOR240 (Mar 4, 2020)

That sure looks good Inda! Just booked marked it.  I've seen a few pots and pans that look very similar, must be a fire house thing. Like


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## indaswamp (Mar 4, 2020)

creek bottom said:


> That looks freaking awesome!!! LIKE!


Thanks creek bottom. It's a great way to use up bacon ends and pieces.


73saint said:


> Never made it, never had it.  Heard of it, but never seen it.  This looks incredible.  Nice, simple write up, thanks for sharing Inda!  I'm adding this to my list for sure!


Thanks 73saints. It is a quick dish to make. Takes about 20-30 minutes. The original roman dish used Guancaile (dry cured pork jowl bacon) and Pecorino Ramano cheese...

And this is one dish where spaghetti is actually the preferred pasta to use.


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## indaswamp (Mar 4, 2020)

GATOR240 said:


> That sure looks good Inda! Just booked marked it.  I've seen a few pots and pans that look very similar, must be a fire house thing. Like


Thanks Gator.
They love to put out fires.....but burn the crap out of their pans....LOL!! Go figure.....


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## indaswamp (Mar 4, 2020)

Note- for those that have never made this before...
You need to have the pasta hot for this dish. Timing is crucial. The pasta can not be made ahead of time and added in. It's the heat in the pasta that tempers the sauce and gently cooks the eggs without scrambling them.


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## Sowsage (Mar 4, 2020)

This looks real good. Ive also heard of it but never tried it. Bookmarking this so i can try it out. Definitely going to have to cut it down though. I know my boys would eat this up no doubt. Pasta..cheese...bacon..Yep I'm in!


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## chef jimmyj (Mar 4, 2020)

Great job and post. Pretty hard to get any better than Italian BACON 'N EGGS! I go heavy on the Black Pepper...JJ


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## indaswamp (Mar 4, 2020)

Me Too!!!!


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## sawhorseray (Mar 4, 2020)

Boy howdy, does that ever look scruptous, Like. I just processed some maple bacon this morning, now I've got the trimmings headed for this recipe! RAY


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## indaswamp (Mar 4, 2020)

*edit...
You may need to add some heat if you are using a thin sauce pan or pot. If using cast iron, thick stainless steel or LA Cruisette then there will be enough heat in the pot.


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## indaswamp (Mar 4, 2020)

Sowsage said:


> This looks real good. Ive also heard of it but never tried it. Bookmarking this so i can try it out. Definitely going to have to cut it down though. I know my boys would eat this up no doubt. Pasta..cheese...bacon..Yep I'm in!


Thanks 

 Sowsage
.
This is a double recipe Sowsage....bunch of hungry firefighters I was feeding. They ate the entire pot! LOL!


chef jimmyj said:


> Great job and post. Pretty hard to get any better than Italian BACON 'N EGGS! I go heavy on the Black Pepper...JJ


Thanks 

 chef jimmyj



sawhorseray said:


> Boy howdy, does that ever look scruptous, Like. I just processed some maple bacon this morning, now I've got the trimmings headed for this recipe! RAY


Thanks 

 sawhorseray
. I saw your bacon thread, glad you are giving this a go. The recipe has not changed going back to roman times....simple, and good!


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## 6GRILLZNTN (Mar 4, 2020)

That looks awesome.  I'm certainly making this soon.

Dave


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## indaswamp (Mar 4, 2020)

73saints-it is acceptable to add a dab of olive oil to help render the bacon.


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## kruizer (Mar 4, 2020)

I love pasta dishes. Just can't eat the stuff right now cause of my diet.


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## jcam222 (Mar 4, 2020)

Carbonara rocks in my book and you nailed it!! Big huge like here.


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## indaswamp (Mar 4, 2020)

5GRILLZNTN said:


> That looks awesome.  I'm certainly making this soon.
> 
> Dave


Thanks Dave!


kruizer said:


> I love pasta dishes. Just can't eat the stuff right now cause of my diet.


It's a good one, unfortunately, there is no way to make this dish diet friendly.


jcam222 said:


> Carbonara rocks in my book and you nailed it!! Big huge like here.


Thanks jcam222, Been making this since college...it's a quick filling meal.


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## xray (Mar 4, 2020)

Looks great! I’m gonna be slicing some dry cured bacon tomorrow. I’ll have to save the ends for this.


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## Fueling Around (Mar 4, 2020)

Nice
Thanks for feeding the crew.
Same as 

 kruizer
 and not much wheat based pasta in the diet.
Don't rinse it so the goodies stick


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## forktender (Mar 5, 2020)

indaswamp said:


> I made 30# of dry cured applewood bacon in February. After slicing, I had about 3# of ends and pieces. Time to use some, and this is one of my favorite ways to do so! Spaghetti Carbonara!
> 
> First, get the pasta water started so it'll be boiling when we are ready to add the spaghetti (2# of spaghetti pasta) . Next, we grate the Parmesan cheese (4 cups for this recipe), dice the bacon (1/2lb.) , mince the garlic (8 cloves), and separate the egg whites from the yolks into bowls (7 eggs).  scramble the whites for about a minute, set aside.
> View attachment 434791
> ...


One of my favorites.........YUM!!!!


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## forktender (Mar 5, 2020)

indaswamp said:


> 73saints-it is acceptable to add a dab of olive oil to help render the bacon.


I know that you didn't ask me but this one is right in my wheelhouse. Hell yeah you can add a small glug of evoo to the bacon, no problem at all.


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## SmokinAl (Mar 5, 2020)

Man does that look good!
I could eat that every night!
Al


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## indaswamp (Mar 5, 2020)

xray said:


> Looks great! I’m gonna be slicing some dry cured bacon tomorrow. I’ll have to save the ends for this.


Thanks xray. It's one of my favorite recipes!


Fueling Around said:


> Nice
> Thanks for feeding the crew.
> Same as
> 
> ...


Thanks Fueling Around.


forktender said:


> One of my favorites.........YUM!!!!


Thanks Forktender


SmokinAl said:


> Man does that look good!
> I could eat that every night!
> Al


Thanks Al!


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## tander28 (Mar 5, 2020)

Looks fantastic, one of my favorites and you nailed it!


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## indaswamp (Mar 9, 2020)

tander28 said:


> Looks fantastic, one of my favorites and you nailed it!


Thanks tander28!


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