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Pasta Carbonara with Zucchini Recipe

Pasta Carbonara with Zucchini

Prep Time 10min Cook Time 20min

Pasta dinners can be a lifesaver - not only are they quickly and easily prepared, but kids love them too. Try branching out from the usual jarred marinara sauce with this pasta carbonara recipe that includes hunks of bacon and fresh squash in a delectable, creamy sauce. Use best quality, free-range eggs in this recipe, as the yolks are barely cooked through. Topped with freshly grated Parmesan cheese, this is by no means a light recipe, but the kids will love it, and might even eat their vegetables too.

by Alison Needham

What you'll need

  • 1 pound quality imported pasta
  • 4 green or yellow summer squash
  • 4 yolks from free-range eggs
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
  • olive oil
  • 12 slices of thick cut bacon, cut into 1/2 inch slices
  • fresh thyme, if you have it, or a pinch of dried

How to make it

  1. Boil pasta according to package directions. While pasta is cooking mix together the cream, half of the Parmesan cheese and the egg yolks, and set aside.
  2. Meanwhile, slice squash thinly. Heat about a tablespoon of oil in a very large skillet over medium-high heat. Add bacon and cook until brown and crispy. Add the squash and some freshly grated pepper (about 1 teaspoon) and cook until it begins to get golden and soft.
  3. When the pasta is done cooking, remove it from the cooking water, reserving some of the water for the sauce. Toss the pasta into the skillet and stir it around. Remove it from the heat and add a ladleful of the cooking water and the reserved creamy sauce. Stir together quickly. The heat from the pasta and the cooking water will cook the yolks a bit, but not enough to scramble them. The sauce on the pasta should be shiny and slick. If necessary, add a bit more cooking water.
  4. Taste for seasoning, adding more salt and pepper if necessary, top with a bit of fresh thyme and the rest of the cheese and serve immediately.

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