Monday Recipe
Heart Attack In A Bowl
What’s not to like?
Easy Tortellini Carbonara
You’ll Need:
1 package (9 ounces) refrigerated cheese tortellini
8 bacon strips, chopped
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
You’ll Do:
1) Cook tortellini according to package directions; drain.
2) Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp, stirring occasionally. Remove with a slotted spoon; drain on paper towels. Pour off drippings.
3) In same pan, combine cream, cheese, parsley and bacon; heat through over medium heat. Stir in tortellini. Serve immediately.
Tip: Traditional carbonara tends to have egg in the sauce. Try halving the cream and tempering two whisked eggs into your sauce for added protein. Temper your eggs by adding a small amount of the hot mixture to the whisked egg before adding it all back to the pan. Be sure to do this after removing pan from the heat to keep your eggs from scrambling.
Hat tip to Taste of Home
Category: Cooking
Perfect dish to fix, especially since tomorrow is the official First Day of Autumn 2020.
Stoke the carbs!!! Stoke the carbs!!!
(Add more bacon.)
Mmmmmm. Never tried making it, but this version looks easy enough for even this kitchen incompetent to make. Might have to adjust the cream a bit making a lighter version (often substitute unflavored almond “milk” with surprisingly good results most of the time). Will report back if it is successful.
Yeah, yeah. Without the cream, why bother? Because the option is either do without or leave out most of the dairy. Yes, the parm is also dairy, but I am lucky enough to tolerate some dairy as long as it isn’t overdone, or frequent.
For those who like to cook under pressure….
INSTANT POT PASTA CARBONARA RECIPE
(Although it is made with pasta, tortellini can be used as a substitute.)
Ingredients
8 oz. spaghetti noodles
4.5 cups water
2 tablespoons butter divided
1 tablespoon olive oil
6 slices of bacon
2 garlic cloves
3/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1 large egg
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
Grab a handful of spaghetti noodles at a time, break in half and arrange in a criss-cross pattern. Add water. Do not stir. Place one tablespoon of butter on top of pasta. Close the lid. Set valve to “sealing” position. Make sure the IP is set to cooking on HIGH pressure. Press “manual” setting and set timer to 7 minutes. The IP will take up to 10 minutes to come to pressure.
Once the timer is done, press “cancel/off” button. Wait 1 minute, then switch the valve to “venting” position to release pressure. Once the pin drops and pressure is released, open the lid carefully away from your face. Spoon out 1/2 cup of pasta water into measuring cup and set aside. Drain pasta over colander, discard remaining pasta water. Keep spaghetti in colander.
Place the insert back in the Instant Pot. Press “saute” setting. Wait 1 minutes. Add olive oil to insert. Add bacon and cook until crispy. Add garlic and saute with bacon for 1 minute. Add one tablespoon of butter and let melt. Press “cancel/off” button. Add pasta back to the IP. Toss well with bacon, garlic and grease.
In a small bowl, beat egg and Parmesan together. Slowly add the egg and Parmesan mixture, stirring constantly to make sure the egg does not scramble. It should turn into creamy sauce. Add reserved pasta water, a little bit at a time, stir well. The pasta should be creamy.
Season with black pepper. Serve garnished with chopped parsley and more grated Parmesan.
Enjoy!
Carbonara without peas? Sacrilege.
So add peas, chef. Recipes are guidelines for inspiration, not carved in stone. At least that’s how mine are!
*grin*
“Recipes are guidelines for inspiration,”
I keep trying to tell my wife that. She inherited her mother’s cooking skills. My mother-in-law couldn’t cook meatloaf without a recipe. My wife likes her peanut butter smooth and creamy and her mashed potatoes chunky and crisp.
Welp, you had me at cheese and bacon. Yeah, Big Surprise, I know. I did have to GoogleFoo tortellini tho, again. Hitting on tortellini recipes showed an insta pot with chicken thighs (ht to gitarcarver) and #2 hit was this same recipe…from Taste of Country. Sister M_____ in NE had sent a subscription to that publication awhile back and the FIRST issue showed up today.
I’ll give this one a try when I can find the tortellini and will send it out to Baby Girl.
My trip to the Big City forced me over to Jeneane’s for the fried porked chop, the homemade smashed taters with gravy, butter beans, lacy anne johnny cakes, cat head, and the house wine…sweet iced tea. Ms Lady Friend had the chicken tenders, smashed taters with gravy, creamed corn and the lacy anne johnny cakes. The struggle was real.
http://www.jeneanes.com/home
“Welp, you had me at cheese and bacon. ”
The only thing that stops me from causing a nation-wide bacon shortage all by myself is that I hate cooking it and cleaning up after cooking it.
Made it for supper tonight. Good stuff. Thanks for the recipe.