Spaghetti alla Carbonara with Bacon Bits - Video Recipe

My shortcut cheap$kate spin on this Italian pasta classic will have you digging into a steaming plateful in no time. And my outre entree will never be taught in culinary colleges -- you can only learn it in The 99 Cent Chef's kitchen of hard knocks!

Watch my new Spaghetti alla Carbonara with Bacon Bits cooking video for simple step-by-step directions. It doesn't come cheaper than this, and my new pièce de résistance is outrageous enough to fit into my blog of outré entrée recipes perfectly!

Typical Carbonara's main ingredients are eggs, pasta, black pepper, grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, and Italian bacon (pancetta or guanciale).

I use cheap Parmesan from a plastic container that I get from my local Dollar Tree. It says it's real Parmesan. Of course, use real Parmigiano-Reggiano if you can afford it.

I prefer fresh ground Black Pepper, but any type is fine. A lot of Black Pepper is used in this recipe.

I normally use a couple slices of browned and crumbled bacon because it's convenient, and bacon fat enriches any pasta dish. However, those are a lot of calories, and real Bacon Bits are already cooked so most of the fat is rendered out, thus making my Carbonara lighter.

I can get one serving out of a .8-ounce package of Bacon Bits. I used to get Bacon Bits and eggs from my local Dollar Tree and 99c only Store but this year they are a no-show.

I've been eying Imitation Bacon Bits but have not had the guts to use them yet - The 99 Cent Chef has standards, too!

Real Bacon Bits are a bit dry and slightly powdery. The Bits are quite small so I do miss the larger crunchy pieces from broken crispy cooked bacon slices. While mostly bacon meat and a little bacon fat, Bacon Bits are a light version for all your calorie counters. As with a lot of diets spin on fatty meals you do lose that luscious taste.

This is a rich-tasting dish when you add a raw egg blended with parmesan and black pepper to hot pasta. The trick is to assemble it all in one pan and bring it right to the table before the egg scrambles.

The egg mixture thickens into a decadent sauce, coating the spaghetti, studded with crunchy bacon pieces. *If you are worried about using raw eggs, I have an alternative method at the end of this post.

If you have an Italian deli nearby or a well-stocked meat market, you should try Italian pancetta at least once; you only need a couple of slices for this dish. It cooks like bacon, but it's dryer, leaner, and with flavorful curing spices.

So, check out my latest recipe video and get cooking! It is a simple and delicious dish.

Spaghetti alla Carbonara with Bacon Bits - VIDEO            Play it here. The video runs 2 minutes, 59 seconds.

My YouTube video link for viewing or embedding, just click here.

Ingredients (one serving)  

• Spaghetti - 1/4 package. I used a quarter of a one-pound package of dried spaghetti for one serving. Cook per package directions. I usually shave off a couple of minutes of cooking time for pasta al dente.
• Bacon Bits - 8-ounce package of real bacon, not imitation. Bacon Bits come in different package sizes, totaling about 3-4 tablespoons. Okay to use a couple slices of crumbled cooked bacon. Authentic Pasta alla Carbonara calls for Pancetta.
• Black Pepper - 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground if you have it. 
• 1 Egg - I used a cheap medium-sized egg.
• Parmesan - 2 tablespoons of grated or shaved. I used grated parmesan from a container. Keep it real with a block of Parmigiano-Reggiano to shave from. Add more parmesan to suit your taste.
• Water for boiling pasta - about 4 cups. Double the amount for 2 servings or half a one-pound package of pasta.

Directions

Bring one pot of water to boil for pasta. Add pasta when the water boils. Some cooks add a lot of salt to the water, I don't but go ahead if you like.

Cook pasta to package directions -- but stop a couple of minutes early for al dente pasta, or pasta with a little chew to the texture.

You should stir the pasta a few times as it cooks so the spaghetti does not clump and stick together.

While the pasta cooks, mix one raw egg with 2 tablespoons of grated parmesan and half a teaspoon of black pepper in a small bowl. Whisk together until well blended. Set aside for final assembly.

(If you like really big pieces of bacon, then saute up a couple slices instead of Bacon Bits. Crumble bacon when done. You can drain off the grease, or leave a tablespoon or two for flavor.) The same goes for Pancetta, although you usually cube Pancetta first then saute it until browned.

Over low heat carefully add cooked pasta right from the pasta pot Into a large pan. I don't drain the pasta, just fish it out of hot water and go right into the frying pan.

Now time to bring it all together.

Finally, pour in the egg, black pepper, and parmesan mixture. Mix well and allow to heat through for about 30 seconds - careful not to make scrambled eggs. The egg mixture will thicken to make a slightly thick sauce. 

Finally, sprinkle on the Bacon Bits. I usually add Bacon Bits last, as they become mushy if they soak too long.

It is ready to eat. You can add an extra tablespoon of grated parmesan per serving. (If you are using freshly shaved parmesan, then add it as a topping when ready to serve.)

For 2 servings, just double everything. 

* Since I add my raw egg mixture to hot pasta over a low-heating pan, the egg is heated through.  If you are wary of raw eggs, it's okay to drop a separated whole egg yoke into boiling water for about 1 minute (or a little longer.) When pasta is done and parmesan/black pepper is added, finish the dish by adding one lightly poached egg yoke on top.