Fettuccine with Spinach Mushroom Carbonara Sauce
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Author:
Recipe type: Easy Weeknight Meals
Cuisine: Italian
Serves: 4-6
Ingredients
  • ½ pkg Morningstar Farms bacon strips
  • ½ lb mushrooms, sliced
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (or wild mushroom flavored olive oil), divided use
  • 2 cloves garlic, pressed
  • 3 tablespoons chopped flat leaf parsley
  • 3 very fresh room temperature eggs, lightly beaten
  • 3 Tablespoons heavy cream
  • ½ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
  • ½ cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 lb fettuccine
  • 4-5 ounces fresh spinach, minced
  • 3-4 tablespoons heavy cream
  • Lots of freshly ground black pepper
  • Additional Parmesan or Romano
Instructions
  1. Put a large pot of water on high heat to boil.
  2. Spray a non-stick skillet with a little cooking spray or a small drizzle of olive oil. Cook the Bacon Strips (or your other plant protein that is standing in for pork), until crisp. Drain on a triple layer of paper towels and then crumble into small pieces.
  3. Once the bacon strips are cooked, saute the sliced mushrooms in regular or wild mushroom flavored olive oil. (Not essential, but it adds a lot of flavor.) Add the pressed garlic when the mushrooms are almost done, so that the garlic cooks for a minute or two, but doesn't burn, and then add the chopped parsley. Set aside, but keep warm.
  4. In a medium bowl, mix the eggs, heavy cream, Parmesan, Romano, freshly ground black pepper, and whisk until well combined.
  5. Before you drain the pasta, put your colander over a large mixing bowl in the bottom of the sink. Reserve about 1 cup of hot pasta water before draining your pasta into the colander set over the mixing bowl. This means your mixing bowl will be nice and warm for mixing your carbonara sauce.
  6. Make sure you have all your other ingredients within reach before you drain the hot water from the mixing bowl.
  7. Working very quickly, transfer the pasta from the colander to the still warm mixing bowl, and toss the hot pasta with your egg mixture and ½ cup of the hot pasta water until the cheese is melted and the sauce is smooth and creamy. Add the minced spinach, and toss again. Taste and add additional freshly ground pepper or cheese if you think it needs it, and the remaining water if you think the sauce needs to be a little thinner.
  8. Add about ½ of the bacon and mushrooms, toss again and plate. Top each bowl with the rest of the bacon and mushrooms and serve to your hungry family.
Notes
© 2017 Nancy Olah
All Rights Reserved.
Recipe by Fool a Carnivore at https://foolacarnivore.com/fettuccine-with-spinach-mushroom-carbonara-sauce/