Prosciutto Carbonara

Ah, Italian food. I'm pretty sure pasta runs through my veins. And I've gotta admit, once I discovered the existence of whole grain pasta, eating it all the time became much less guilt inducing. 

I hear a lot of people saying that is has a cardboard-like flavor, but I've never really noticed that. I like my pasta slathered in creamy sauces, so I've never had a problem with the flavor. And this dish is the perfect example of flavorful, rich sauce to completely coat the angel hair.

The thing I love about this recipe is that I almost always have the ingredients on hand, and when it gets to the time of the month when we've worn down most of our groceries, it still makes an utterly delicious meal.

Did I mention that one serving is under 500 calories, cause it doesn't taste like it is. And made with whole grain pasta, it's filling enough to hold you over for a while. 

I made it with prosciutto because that's what I had around, but this recipe also works well with bacon. 


Prosciutto Carbonara 
Barely adapted from Get off Your Butt and Bake
(serves two)


4 oz angel hair pasta
2 eggs
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup grated Parmesan
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
2 slices prosciutto
parsley for garnish


Slice the prosciutto into thin strips and lay on a baking sheet. Crisp up in a 350 degree oven for about 5 minutes.

Beat the eggs, cream, Parmesan, salt, and peppers together in a bowl.

Cook pasta according to package directions. Reserve 1/4 cup cooking water before draining and returning to the pot.

Pour the egg mixture over the cooked pasta and stir constantly over very low heat for 1-2 minutes or until thickened. If the sauce gets too thick, loosen with a bit of the reserved cooking water.

Garnish with crisped prosciutto, parsley, and additional Parmesan.