Spaghetti Carbonara

Ingredients

• 1 pound spaghetti; I used angel hair but thin or regular spaghetti is perfect too
• 1/4 to 1/2 pound thickly sliced good quality bacon
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 large eggs
• Pepper
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Directions

1. Cook spaghetti according to package directions. Since I used angel hair I had taken some steps prior to cooking my pasta since it cooks in 3-4 minutes. Regular spaghetti will take more like 9-10 minutes; plenty of time for you to start preparing the dish after you start your water to boil.
2. Cut the bacon into pieces about 1/2 inch wide. Cook in a skillet until the bacon is just beginning to get crisp; add the chopped garlic and cook for a minute or two longer. Remove from heat.
3. Meanwhile, break the eggs into a serving bowl, season with black pepper and beat them with a whisk
4. When your pasta is finished cooking, add the pasta and the bacon mixture to the eggs in the serving bowl and mix thoroughly; the heat from the pasta will cook the eggs and create your sauce.
5. Add the Parmesan cheese, mix lightly and serve. Sprinkle additional cheese on each serving.

Barbera, Italy’s third most planted grape, is a great match for Spaghetti Carbonara. The low-tannin, high acid level of this lighter-bodied red wine can cut through the richness that the dish has and stand up to the smoky bacon flavor, without overpowering it. The 2007 Fontanafredda Barbera d’Alba Briccotondo from Italy’s Piedmont region has been raved about and can be found in many wine shops across the US.