Penne alla Carbonara with Mushrooms

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Pasta dishes combine a lot of qualities:  cheap, quick, easy but most of all delicious!

Just a few days before Lent started, I realized that I had a lot of ingredients in my refrigerator that I had to use and looking at what I had, a Carbonara was a perfect choice. I had leftover pancetta from another recipe, eggs, whipping cream, cheese and fresh mushrooms. Although I have posted carbonara before and is a recipe I cook very often I usually make it with bacon or pancetta without the eggs.  This time I decided to make the classic recipe to compare and see the difference.   Still, I tried to keep it as healthy as possible, discarding all the fat from the pancetta, using only 1 egg and  cream and cheeses used were all with low fat. 

This scrumptious dish came together in less than half an hour.  The egg provided a delicious creamy texture and the pancetta added additional flavour.

This recipe goes to Ruth, of Once upon a Feast, who is celebrating her 2nd Year of Presto Pasta Nights. I’ve been following Ruth and Presto Pasta Nights since I started blogging and I wish I had the time to post a recipe each week.    However, on this special occasion I could not but share the joy and wish Ruth for many more Presto Pasta Nights.

Penne alla Carbonara with Mushrooms

• 500 grams penne, fettucine or farfalle
• 2 – 3 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 1 cup of pancetta, cut into 1 cm pieces
• 1 egg
• 1  cream (15%)
  
• 1 cup of different melting cheese
• 2 – 3 tablespoons of parsley
• 2 cups button mushrooms sliced

Directions:

1. Cook pasta according to package directions (about 15 minutes).
2. Meanwhile, in a sautéing pan, sauté the pancetta and remove to kitchen towel.
3.  Discard any fat from the pan an add olive oil and sauté onion and garlic, until translucent. Add mushrooms and peppers and sauté as well.
4.  Beat egg together with cream.  Add the grated cheese, as well as salt and pepper and mix.
5. Drain pasta and return to the sautéing pan as well as pancetta.
6. Over heat toss the cream and mix quickly so that egg does not curdle.
7.  Serve with some parsley on top as well as freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Kopiaste and Kali Orexi,

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