Easy Ham and Garlic Carbonara
Looking for a decadent comfort food, but also a ten minute solution to dinner? Look no further!
The raw deal. I’ll admit, I was a bit nervous to try my hand at a carbonara, simply because of the raw egg factor. But over the last few months of this journey, I’ve been a bit more adventurous with hollandaise, soft boiled, etc, and figured I was up for the challenge. This blew my mind! Not only did the water heat everything to a correct (and reassuring) temperature to cook the egg through, but the creaminess that the yolk provided could not have been accomplished otherwise. This sauce is absolutely heavenly and you’d never guess it came from two basic ingredients. Wow!
A kid at heart. I love writing a food blog, I do. But sometimes I have to wonder…despite the more sophisticated language, fancy cuts of herbs, and deeper grocery budget…are we just eating Mac n Cheese with hotdogs in it? Not to discredit our childhood nostalgia, this is not meant as an insult. Embracing the very foods that we love and make us feel happy, this version is a great way to recreate a meal that would make mom proud! Just to be sure this feels enough of a step away from the kids table, be creative with the additions! This would be great with some chopped asparagus, peas, mushrooms, or wilted spinach added in! And hey, if you want to stick with good ol’ cheesy noodles, I say hats off to you!
Looking for creative ways to use that leftover holiday ham? Try out these:
Asparagus, Ham and Swiss Omelet
Antipasto Salad with Ham and a Creamy Parmesan Dressing
Have you tried any of these recipes? Comment below, I’d love to hear from you!!!
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Enjoy!
Easy Ham and Garlic Carbonara
Equipment
- Skillet
- Saucepan
- Kitchen knife
- Large mixing bowl
- Kitchen Tongs
Ingredients
- 2 servings Spaghetti Noodles
- 2 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 1/2 cups Cubed Ham
- 3 medium Egg Yolks
- 1/4 cup Shredded Parmesan Cheese
- 3 cloves Garlic
- 1/2 tsp Crushed Red Pepper
- 1/4 tsp Coarse Black Pepper
- Additional Parmesan Cheese for serving
- Parsley (optional for garnish)
- Basil (optional for garnish)
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Bring water in a saucepan to a boil and start noodles cooking.
- In a skillet, heat olive oil and add cubed ham. As this becomes browned, add minced garlic and cook until fragrant.
- In a large mixing bowl, place separated egg yolks, parmesan cheese, pepper, crushed red pepper and salt. Stir until well combined.
- Without draining noodles, when cooked to liking, use tongs to grab noodles. Allow water to drain but not thoroughly. Add to egg mixture and stir to combine, but be careful not to scramble eggs.
- Using remaining pasta water, add tsp at a time to create a creamy consistency with the sauce-about 2-3 tsp.
- Scrape ham, garlic, and any cooking oil into the noodles and combine. Serve with fresh parmesan and any herbs of your choice. Enjoy! Variation: this is a base for endless potential! Try adding chopped asparagus, peas, mushrooms, or wilted spinach! Also would be great served with spaghetti squash or zoodles!
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