My garden is in full swing. I'm almost ready to pick my second round of green beans and my corn is nicely coming along. And yesterday, I almost squealed at the fact that a small cherry tomato blossom was protruding a baby cherry tomato. And here I thought that my cherry tomatoes would never grow. It's funny that seeing my garden grow can just make me happy regardless of the direction my day went.
I made this pasta carbonara a few weeks ago with my first batch of green beans and it was definitely a delicious way to use up the beans. I love the comfort of pasta and how simply they normally come together. Give me some cream, some pasta, and a few veggies, and I'm happy. And yeah, the bacon is always welcome to the party, but if you wanna keep it meat-free, the pasta and veggies stand well on their own.
Ingredients:
Adapted from Rocco Dispirito's "Now Eat THIS!" - 'Spaghetti Carbonara'
8 oz. thin spaghetti
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, sliced thinly
salt and pepper to taste
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 eggs
2 strips bacon, cooked and chopped
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1/4 cup Pecorino cheese, grated
1 cup fresh green beans, trimmed and chopped
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook according to the package directions for al dente, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain.
While the pasta is cooking, heat a large skillet under high heat. Add olive oil, onions, and green beans. Season with salt and pepper and saute for about 5-6 minutes, or until onion starts to soften.
Reduce heat to medium and add garlic. Cook for an additional 5 minutes longer, stirring occasionally.In a small bowl, whisk the cream and eggs. Set aside.
Add the chopped bacon and the cooked pasta to the skillet.
Mix well. Remove from heat and add in cream/egg mixture. Let the residual heat slowly thicken the sauce. Stir in both cheeses and season with salt and pepper, if desired.
Serve right away with cheesy garlic bread!This was great for 2 reasons. #1: It was really quick to whip up, I'd say no longer than 30 minutes. #2: It allowed me to use my own grown produce and there's no better feeling in the world than that. Enjoy!
