Spaghetti Alla Carbonara

I guess this would be my first entry into the "Dinner on a Budget" tab. Spaghetti, garlic, egg, bacon, cheese, and half and half. Pretty cost effective and tasty to boot. 


I've made this before with a different recipe. I remember thinking that large chunks of garlic was rustic and I added the egg yolk at the same time as the bacon because I considered myself a rebel. Save the egg yolk-milk mixture for just before you're taking the pan off the heat. The egg will cook thanks to the heat from the pasta and bacon. Enjoy! 



Ingredients
Coarse salt
1 pound spaghetti
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
8 slices of bacon, cut into pieces
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
4 large egg yolks
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish, if desired
Freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
Zest of 1 lemon (optional)


Directions
Bring a large pot of water to a boil; add salt and spaghetti, and cook until al dente, according to package instructions. Reserve 1 cup cooking water; drain.


Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add bacon and cook until golden, 6 to 7 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a bowl.


Reduce heat to medium-low. Add remaining tablespoon oil, and heat until hot but not smoking. Add garlic, and cook until golden, about 3 minutes. Turn off heat.


Beat the egg yolks, heavy cream, and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese in a medium bowl until combined. Add drained hot pasta and pancetta to skillet, and pour the egg mixture over. If pasta seems dry, add enough of the reserved cooking water to moisten. Season liberally with freshly ground black pepper.


Serve garnished with chopped parsley, additional cheese, and lemon zest, if desired.


Source: Martha Stewart