Pasta alla Carbonara with Peas (adapted from Emeril)

Aaron often requests this dish because it’s hearty and satisfying. I love this dish because I usually have everything on hand.  The pancetta, unopened, can last a month in the fridge.  Frozen peas last a really long time, and my pantry is always stocked with a variety of pastas. The only thing I might need to pick up at the store is the cream. I decided to add the peas to Emeril’s version because I felt like it needed some color and a veggie.

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter (I’m sure salted would be just fine)
• 1 small yellow onion, minced
• 4 ounces pancetta or prosciutto, diced (TJ’s sells 4oz containers in the meat section)
• 1 pound fresh linguine (I’ve never used fresh, although it would probably be delicious. I usually just use a package of spaghetti –angel hair would not be a good choice for this dish (too thin)
• 1-2 cups of fresh or frozen peas (depends on the ratio you want. TJ’s organic peas are my favorite frozen pea)
• 3 large egg yolks, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup heavy cream, at room temperature (I use half milk/half cream to trim some calories) 
• 3/4 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, at room temperature
• Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook your pasta of choice according to the package directions (try not to over cook because an al dente past works best for this dish).

Meanwhile, heat oil and butter in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the onion and pancetta and cook until the onions are translucent and the pancetta is beginning to crisp. At this time I throw in the peas and put the lid on (the peas just cook in the pan –no need to defrost) After throwing in the peas, immediately remove from the heat and set aside.

Drain pasta in a colander (reserve a small amount of the cooking liquid in a small bowl) and return pasta to the pot (I just throw the pasta in my large skillet with the pea/pancetta, onion mixture –use whatever is easiest to stir) . Stir to coat and make sure the mixture is over medium heat before the next step.

In a bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and heavy cream and add to the pasta, along with the Parmesan. Remove the pot from the heat and toss the pasta until it is well-coated. Season with salt (use kosher or sea salt –please never use table salt to season your food –it’s WAY too harsh) and freshly ground black pepper, to taste. If needed, add a bit of the reserved pasta cooking liquid to help toss the pasta if it is dry. Serve immediately.