Spaghetti Carbonara

This dish originated in Rome. The sauce is made with egg yolk and a scant amount of cream. The original calls for panchetta(Italian cured bacon). I use American bacon because it gives the dish a smokey aspect that panchetta cannot give.

Serves 8

6 slices of bacon, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes
1/2 cup dry white wine
4 egg yolks
1/8 cup cream
1 cup pasta cooking water
2pkgs cooked spaghetti or fettucine
6 basil leaves, diced
parmesan cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions. In a large skillet, cook the bacon until crisp, draining the fat off during the cooking. Once the bacon is cooked, turn off the heat and add the garlic and chili flakes. Stir continuously for a couple of minutes until the garlic is cooked. Turning off the heat will keep the garlic from burning. When pasta has a couple of minutes of cooking time left, return the bacon, garlic and chilies to the heat. When pan is hot add the wine and deglaze the pan. Add the pasta directly out of cooking water, reserving 1 cup of hot water. Add the cooking liquid to the egg yolks and whisk until combined. Add to the pan and reduce the heat to medium/low. Stir the egg and pasta together until the egg mixture is almost absorbed and coats the pasta. Stir in the cream. Pour into a bowl,top with the cheese and basil. Toss to combine and serve.