As the saying goes, hunger is the best cook. I would add that an empty refrigerator is also the best source of inspiration — limitations force you to get creative. In this case, I was craving a good pasta dish, and I happened to have some bacon in the fridge, but it had been far too long since spinach and mushrooms had appeared on our plates. So combining them all seemed like a wonderful idea.
Pasta carbonara is a delightfully simple dish that comes together quickly and fits perfectly into a weekday evening. I’m only human too, and despite my love for cooking, after a long workday I often feel tempted to reach for a pack of dumplings or some other easy option. Thankfully, making pasta isn’t much effort at all and only takes about 15 minutes, which is usually enough for me to justify choosing the healthier alternative. With this first experiment in reinventing carbonara, I may have opened an entirely new chapter for myself — different variations of pasta carbonara. It feels like an exciting challenge to discover what else could pair beautifully with whole wheat pasta and bacon. Stay tuned — I’m sure this series will continue soon.
Pasta Carbonara with Mushrooms and Spinach
Ingredients
Preparation
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Bring a pot of water to a boil, add some salt, and cook the spaghetti for 9–10 minutes.
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Chop the mushrooms, bacon, and garlic. Add the garlic to a frying pan with a little oil and cook for 1 minute. Add the mushrooms and bacon and fry until cooked through. Add the spinach leaves and cook for another 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
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Whisk the egg yolks and mix them with half of the grated cheese. Add a little salt and pepper.
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Reserve some of the pasta cooking water in a bowl — this will later help loosen the sauce. Drain the spaghetti and add it to the pan.
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Pour the egg yolk and cheese mixture over the pasta along with 4 tablespoons of the pasta cooking water. Toss everything together quickly. Add the remaining grated cheese and mix carefully, adding more pasta water if needed. The pasta should remain creamy and cheesy. Taste and season with more salt and pepper if desired. Serve immediately.
