Spaghetti Carbonara inspired by The Farmer's Wife #LitHappens

This quick and easy, Spaghetti Carbonara, is a wonderful, comforting dish that will warm your soul this fall.

This recipe was inspired by the book The Farmer's Wife by Helen Rebanks, chosen by Camilla of Culinary Cam as our Lit Happens selection for November.

Lit Happens is an online book club.  The members take turns choosing a book and then post discussion questions on our Facebook page to encourage discussion.  Anyone is welcome to join in the fun.  You don't need to be a blogger, nor do you have to share a recipe and/or review, however many of us are foodies and choose to do so.

You are welcome to join us, just read the month's selection and let me know in the comment below so that I can send you an invitation to our group and you can join in the discussion.  You still have the entire month of November to join in.

Speaking of Foodies......Heather of Based on a True Story, hosts a group called Foodies Read and decided to try a new theme for our group by making a Bingo board for us to fill out.  Regular readers of this blog are very familiar with Foodies Read as I link up to it several times a month. 

I am having fun with this challenge. To date, I have shared the following recipes and reviews:

•  Bisquick Cookies from a Library Book
•  Lemon Pepper Potato Wedges from a Cookbook 
• Navajo Green Chile Stew from a Historical book
• Venison Banh Mi Burgers from a book about Restaurant Life
• Hot Honey Caramel Sauce from a book set in a Foreign Country
• Gnudi from a book that is Part of a Series
• Apple Pie Cookies from a book that Has Fruit on the Cover
• Lobster Salad from a book that was Published Before 2023
• No Recipe but a Review written from a book featuring Coffee or Tea
• Magically Easy Pumpkin Spice Cake from a book Set on a Farm or Vineyard

As you can see I chose to use the Memoir block for this book, which inspired me to make Spaghetti Carbonara with Mushrooms, based on the first meal that Helen created for her family when she was just a young girl. 

Helen says of her Carbonara (of sorts)....."This isn't just food, this is my food, and cooking it gives me independence, a sense of being free from under my mother's control. This plain little dish of pasta and sauce is an act of rebellion, and I love making it."

Throughout this memoir, we learn how cooking and baking became Helen's happy place, her sanctuary of sorts.  It provided her with comfort and confidence.  It fulfilled her desire to be present and attentive to her family.  I value my time in the kitchen for these same reasons.  I enjoyed sharing Helen's life through these pages and felt as if we could be friends.

I have shared Pasta Carbonara with you before.  This recipe is another version, using only the egg yolks instead of whole eggs, adding mushrooms to acknowledge those 3 that Helen dared to use from her mother's stash set aside for B&B guests, using precooked bacon bits that were in my refrigerator (Thanks Karen, for the tip about Costco Bacon Bits......they are amazing!!!) and reducing the servings to feed two.

This is a quick and easy meal that is ready in the time it takes to boil the spaghetti.  It is comfort food at its finest.  Enjoy.

Pasta, Bacon, Pork, Carbonara, Quick, Easy

Entrees, Pasta

Italian

Yield: 2 servings

Author: Wendy Klik

Spaghetti Carbonara with Mushrooms

This quick and easy, Spaghetti Carbonara, is a wonderful, comforting dish that will warm your soul this fall.

Prep time: 3 MinCook time: 10 MinTotal time: 13 Min

Ingredients

• 1/2 lb. spaghetti noodles, cooked per package directions
• 2 egg yolks, room temperature
• 1/4 c. grated parmesan cheese + more for garnish
• 2 oz. bacon bits
• 2-3 mushrooms, diced
• pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. While pasta is cooking, heat a small skillet over high heat, add the bacon bits and mushrooms and cook until bacon is heated through and mushrooms are tender. Remove from heat.
2. Place one egg yolk and 2 Tablespoons of grated parmesan cheese into each of two pasta bowls. Add half of the bacon and mushroom mixture into each and whisk to combine.
3. Using tongs remove the spaghetti from the cooking water, directly into the bowls, season with freshly ground pepper.
4. Use the tongs to stir and combine the egg mixture with the pasta, adding a bit more of the cooking water if needed to coat the noodles. Top with additional parmesan cheese and serve immediately.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

681.41

Fat (grams)

17.52 g

Sat. Fat (grams)

5.16 g

Carbs (grams)

98.03 g

Fiber (grams)

7.55 g

Net carbs

90.48 g

Sugar (grams)

5.21 g

Protein (grams)

31.56 g

Sodium (milligrams)

738.72 mg

Cholesterol (grams)

205.28 mg

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Mushroom Spaghetti

Spaghetti Aglio e Olio

Spaghetti cacio e pepe

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