If you love carbonara, you will love this easy and delicious twist on the classic Italian pasta dish. This recipe uses farm fresh produce like eggs and microgreens to add some color and freshness to the creamy sauce. The bacon adds a nice crunch and smoky flavor, while the garlic and Parmesan cheese give it a rich and savory taste. This is a perfect meal for any night of the week, as it comes together in just 25 minutes with simple ingredients. You can also customize it with your favorite pasta shape and cheese. Serve it with a crispy green salad and some crusty bread for a satisfying and cozy dinner. Your family and friends will be impressed by this restaurant-quality dish that you can make at home in no time!

The serving size for this recipe is about 1 1/4 cups of spaghetti per person. The cook time is about 15 minutes and the prep time is about 10 minutes. The total time is about 25 minutes. 😊

Ingredients: 

1/2 lb (225 g) Spaghetti or your favourite pasta shape

4 oz (115 g) Bacon, diced

1 tbsp (15 ml) Olive Oil

2 Cloves Garlic, minced

2 Eggs

1/4 cup (60 ml) Heavy Cream

1/4 cup (25 g) Grated Parmesan Cheese OR similar type

Salt and pepper, to taste

1 cup (150 g) fresh / frozen or dried Peas

1/4 cup (10 g) chopped fresh Microgreens

OPTIONAL:

Dried Mushrooms

Sausages

Roasted Veggies

Directions:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add dried peas and cover them for 15 – 20 minutes. You would need twice as much water as the amount of peas you are rehydrating. Additionally, you can soak them in water the previous day for at least 8 hours.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Cook the spaghetti according to the package directions until al dente. Reserve 1/4 cup (60 ml) of the pasta cooking water and drain the spaghetti.

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the bacon in the oil until crisp, stirring occasionally. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and drain all but 1 tablespoon of the bacon fat from the skillet.

Add the garlic to the same skillet and cook over low heat for about 1 minute, stirring frequently, until fragrant but not browned.

In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, cream, cheese, salt and pepper.

Return the spaghetti to the pot and toss with the egg mixture over low heat until well coated and creamy, adding some of the reserved pasta water if needed to thin out the sauce. Do not let the eggs scramble.

Stir in the peas and cook for another minute or until heated through.

Serve the spaghetti topped with the bacon, microgreens and more cheese if desired.

Enjoy your carbonara with a twist! 😋

Some optional ingredients that you can add to this recipe are - 

Mushrooms: you can sauté some sliced mushrooms with the garlic and bacon for a meaty and earthy flavor.

Sausage: you can saute some sliced or diced chorizo sausage for a kick of spice.

Chicken: you can add some cooked chicken chunks or shredded rotisserie chicken to the pasta for extra protein and texture.

Lemon: you can add some lemon zest and juice to the sauce for a bright and zesty flavor that cuts through the richness.

Nutmeg: you can add a pinch of nutmeg to the sauce for a subtle warm and nutty flavor that complements the cheese.