I’ve tried many Carbonara Recipes, and they are all delicious, but this is a new favorite. This recipe uses 8 egg yolks! I will use my egg whites to make this delicious Marshmallow frosting for a White or Chocolate cake. I’ve posted this frosting recipe as well. It’s kind of like soft divinity. So yummy! This is one of Giada’s recipes. It is Fast, Easy & Scrumptious. If you need something on the table in 20 minutes…..you can have it ready. I’ve already posted other Carbonara recipes, that are very, very good, but this is super fast! I did use heavy Cream, but I do think you could use Half & Half, if you are concerned about the calories. I also used shredded Rotisserie Chicken. Sam’s club is the most inexpensive, and it’s sooooo Good. I like to buy 2 or 3 at a time. I bring them home, take all the meat off the bones, and put it in individual freezer bags. That way you can just grab a bag from the freezer, let it thaw and you are ready to prepare something fabulous. I also added crisp bacon, and more parmesan cheese on the top. Just run on the treadmill for an extra couple of hours, and you should be able to burn this off! It’s delicious.
Ingredients:
2 teaspoons olive oil 4 ounces thinly sliced pancetta, chopped
*I was able to buy pancetta at Albertson’s Deli
Use bacon if you are unable to find it.
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 1/2 cups whipping cream
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
8 large egg yolks
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
Salt
1 pound spaghetti
4 cups coarsely shredded chicken (from 1 roasted chicken)
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted (opt)
*I used toasted pine nuts instead
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon peel
Directions:
Heat the oil in a heavy large frying pan over medium heat. Add the pancetta and garlic and saute until it is brown and crisp, about 8 minutes. Cool slightly. In a large bowl, whisk together the cream, cheese, yolks, basil, and parsley to blend. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the spaghetti and cook until it is just tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Drain. Add the chicken to the pan with the pancetta and stir to combine. Next, add the spaghetti and the cream mixture and toss over medium-low heat until the chicken is heated through and the sauce coats the spaghetti thickly, about 4 minutes (do not boil or you might end up scrambling the eggs). Season the pasta, to taste, with pepper and salt if needed (the pancetta will likely add all the salt you need). Transfer the pasta to a large wide serving bowl. Sprinkle the walnuts and lemon zest over, and serve.