Pasta Carbonara with Mushrooms, Bacon, and Cream

Cooking method

1. Step 1:

   

   How do you make homemade pasta carbonara with mushrooms, bacon, and cream? It's quite easy. Start by gathering all the ingredients on the list. You can swap the spaghetti for fettuccine or another long pasta. The cream can be lighter—anything from 20% fat works. Feel free to use a different dry or semi-firm cheese in place of the Parmesan; if matching authentic Italian pasta isn't important to you, a plain firm cheese will do.

2. Step 2:

   

   Wash the mushrooms and slice them thin. You can use fresh or frozen mushrooms, but if using frozen, add about a third to half again as much, since they release much more moisture.

3. Step 3:

   

   Cut the bacon into thin strips. I'm using dry-cured bacon, but cooked-smoked or raw will work too.

4. Step 4:

   

   Finely mince the garlic. You can replace fresh garlic with 1/2 tsp of garlic powder.

5. Step 5:

   

   Finely chop the parsley.

6. Step 6:

   

   In a glass or bowl, combine the egg yolks, cream, grated Parmesan, salt, and pepper. Stir the sauce until smooth. For more sauce, just add a little extra cream.

7. Step 7:

   

   Add the mushrooms to a dry, heavy-bottomed skillet or sauté pan and cook over medium heat until their excess moisture has evaporated. If you like, add a touch of vegetable oil to the pan.

8. Step 8:

   

   Add the bacon and cook everything together over high heat for 3–5 minutes.

9. Step 9:

   

   Finally, add the garlic and cook for another 1–2 minutes.

10. Step 10:

    

    Stir in the chopped parsley, season with salt and pepper, and mix. Remove the pan from the heat.

11. Step 11:

    

    Cook the spaghetti in plenty of salted water until al dente (one minute less than the package directs). Drain the cooked spaghetti, leaving the pasta in the pot.

12. Step 12:

    

    Return the pot of pasta to low heat. Add the sautéed mushrooms and bacon along with the herbs, and toss everything together.

13. Step 13:

    

    Pour in the cream-and-cheese sauce and toss quickly until the yolk and Parmesan coat the pasta evenly. Remove the pot from the heat.

14. Step 14:

    

    Divide the hot carbonara among plates. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan and garnish with fresh or lightly warmed cherry tomatoes and herbs. Enjoy!