Dinner Time: Spaghetti Carbonara

If I had a little Italian Nonna, I bet she would have made this for me on a chilly Sunday evening.  Spaghetti carbonara is Italian soul food, grandma-style.  It is pasta with a warming hug and a pinch on the cheeks.

With a few pantry staples and fresh bacon and eggs, this simple yet decadent dinner is just a boil, sizzle and whisk away.  In just a few minutes, you'll feel like you've been carried away to a cozy Roman farmhouse.

Ingredients

• 1 pound spaghetti or bucatini
• 8 slices bacon, cut 1 inch thick crosswise
• 1 small yellow onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 4 large eggs, beaten lightly
• 3/4 cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
• 1 cup frozen green peas

Directions

1. Boil a large pot of water (for pasta). In a large sauté pan, cook bacon over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp, 8 to 12 minutes; transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate.
2. Salt boiling water generously; add pasta and cook until al dente, according to package instructions (or about 9-10 minutes).
3. In bacon fat, add onion, salt, pepper and white wine.  Sauté until golden. Add garlic.  Return bacon to pan.  Add peas.
4. Drain pasta, leaving some water clinging to it. (Reserve extra pasta water in case sauce is too thick) Add pasta to sauté pan.  Stir together and add cheese.  Working quickly, add egg mixture to pasta. Season with salt and pepper, and toss all to combine (heat from pasta will cook eggs). Serve immediately, sprinkled with additional Parmesan cheese.