Pasta Carbonara!

Pasta Carbonara is my husband's favorite meal that I make. It's really something that we only make and eat at home, since I find most restaurant versions too heavy and creamy. It's simple ingredients; in fact, you probably have almost every ingredient in your kitchen right now. It comes together lightning fast -- probably the longest step is waiting for the water to boil to cook the pasta! It's simple, and could easily be made vegetarian by the omission of the pancetta (replaced with mushrooms, perhaps?).

Makes 4 generous helpings.

Ingredients:

1 pound whole wheat spaghetti pasta (cuz whole wheat makes it healthy ;))

1/4 pound chopped pancetta (I got mine at Trader Joe's)

2 T extra virgin olive oil

2 t crushed red pepper

1/4 cup white wine

6 cloves peeled and crushed garlic (about 4 tsp)

salt and pepper

3 large eggs

1/2 cup shaved parmesean cheese, or more to taste

Boil the water and add the pasta. Next, crush up the garlic if it is not already crushed. Place a deep frying pan on the stove, and pour in the olive oil, allowing it to heat for a minute or two. Next, throw in the chopped pancetta, cooking for a couple of minutes. Add the garlic to the mixture, stirring to keep the garlic from scorching. Pour in the wine, stirring any drippings fromt the bottom of the pan. Add the red pepper.

Crack the eggs into a bowl, beating with a fork. Add a small ladle of water from the pasta -- this will keep the eggs from overcooking.

Drain the pasta, and transfer to the frying pan, mixing up the oil-pancetta sauce. Throw on the egg mixture, making sure to coat the pasta well. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve on big plates with bread, sprinkle on parmesean to taste. Enjoy!