Food Shame, Part 1 -- Pasta Carbonara Mush

What's in the fridge?  Bacon, eggs, that's it.  What's in the pantry?  Pasta, rice, couscous.  Dinner is served! 

The Carbonara you get in American restaurants isn't really Carbonara; its Alfredo sauce with bacon in  it.  Real Carbonara is that holy of holies, "breakfast for dinner": nothing more than bacon and eggs, stirred rapidly into hot pasta so the eggs cook through and take on a creamy quality, with some Parmesan cheese grated into it to round out the creaminess. 

One of my food-shames is pasta carbonara with Israeli couscous instead of Italian noodles -- essentially "mush".  It is perfect for a cold, dreary, rainy evening when I don't have anyone around that I need to impress.  I can scoop some into a bowl and eat it with a spoon, in front of the TV and feel warm and toasty while getting my salt & fat fix.  Here's my basic "starter" recipe, and is a good baseline for tinkering and adjustments.  This time around, I also stirred in some spring vegetables that I had sauteed in butter and garlic, in this case fiddleheads and asparagus tips (both of which are the gustatory embodiment of "Spring in New England")


Construction Materials:

1c pearled ("Israeli") couscous
1 1/5 c chicken stock (or water, if you don't have stock or unsalted broth handy).
1 T (or less) olive oil

2 strips thick-cut bacon (if you want to get all "authentic" about it, guanciale is the way to go, or pancetta if ye have none.  Me, I don't need fancy.  I get wonderful locally-produced bacon from Austin Brothers Valley Farm out in Belchertown, MA at my farmer's market and that suits me down to the ground.)
2 eggs, beaten with a fork
Parmesan cheese, quantity to taste
Pepper, to taste

Cooking the Bacon

Cook the bacon to your desired consistency.  I like mine chewy.  Remove from pan, drain, chop into bite-sized pieces.

Cooking the Couscous

Heat the stock or water til boiling.  At the same time, in another saucepan, heat the olive oil til shimmery.  Add the couscous and stir, coating the pasta pearls and heating them to toast a little.  After a minute or so, when you can just start to smell the "toasted" part of "toasted couscous" add the boiling broth.  Lower to a simmer, cover, and cook til the liquid is absorbed, then turn off the heat and rest covered for a few minutes.

Making the Magic Happen

Stir the beaten egg into the pasta, and keep stirring till the egg cooks through.  The quantity of egg is really up to you, I beat two eggs then pour in as much as I feel comfortable with.  This time around I used both eggs (I don't like it when it comes out too "dry).  While still hot, grate parmesan cheese into the pot and stir stir stir some more til it all melts into the eggy pasta.  Then stir in the bacon.  Put into a bowl, eat.