If you can boil water, then pasta carbonara is 20-minutes away. A quick dinner made from seven everyday staples, carbonara is a comfort food standby in Italian kitchens for good reason, as the spaghetti cooks, you'll crisp up some pancetta in a skillet, whisk together eggs and cream on the side, then toss it all together with grated Parmesan to create a silky, creamy pasta that is perfect any day of the week. 

Servings: 4

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound spaghetti
1 12 ounce bag of frozen petite green peas
4 ounces pancetta or bacon, thinly sliced
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus more for serving
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 large egg, plus 3 egg yolks
1 Tablespoon BACI Kitchen EVOO
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a large skillet, heat oil and pancetta over medium; cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp and browned around edges, 3 to 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels to drain. In a medium bowl, whisk together egg, yolks, and cream; season lightly with salt and pepper.

2. Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water 1-2 minutes less than package instructions. Drain, reserving 1 1/2 cups pasta water. Add 1 cup pasta water to skillet; bring to a boil. Add pasta and cook, stirring, until reduced slightly, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat.

3. Slowly add egg mixture to pasta, stirring, until sauce thickens and clings to pasta. Stir in cheese, pancetta and peas; season generously with pepper and serve immediately with more cheese.

Wine Pairing: It's easy to forget the virtues of Pinot Grigio - a crisp, clean, immensely food-friendly white. Chablis also works well with the creamy sauce and bacon.

NOTES: 

• Don't boil the pasta until al dente. Drain it when it's a minute or two shy of al dente; it will continue to cook when added to the sauce.
• Be sure to use thinly chopped pancetta or bacon to ensure the pieces crisp up with cooking.
• If the sauced pasta thickens before you can serve it, toss in a bit more reserved cooking water to loosen its consistency.
• For a little heat, add pepper flakes. 
• For a little brightness, drizzle with BACI Kitchen's Lemon-Infuse EVOO.