It’s Monday and I’m low on groceries and not interested in spending long in a hot kitchen. What to make? The pantry has loads of pasta. I find half and half in the refrigerator along with bacon, eggs and a block of parmesan cheese. I also found peas in the freezer. Seems like I can put together something with these basic pantry ingredients.
I start a pot of water on the stove while I dice 4-5 strips of bacon and start rendering them down. While that is happening, I dice a handful of onions and throw them in with the bacon. I salt the water and add 5-6 ounces of pasta to cook until al dente. Now is the perfect time to shred the cheese and add a couple of egg yolks to a cup of half and half. Once the pasta is cooked (assuming the bacon is done), I add the pasta to the bacon pan using a slotted spoon. (I don’t drain in a colander because I want the pasta to be wet.) Next, I add in the cream mixture, stirring quickly to avoid scrambled eggs. If too dry, add a little pasta water. Add frozen peas and stir. Then, off the heat, mix in the cheese. Add a few grinds of black pepper. If you have it, add finely diced fresh parsley.
This was quick, used pantry items and tasted delicious.
Obviously, many changes to this general food composition could be made.
For the bacon, substitute any meat made from pork, or no meat at all. Substitute olive oil for the bacon fat and move on. You could cook the onions in oil, make the sauce as above and then add shrimp.
Substitute any dairy drink or dairy substitute for the half and half. When doing this, you may need to add another egg yolk and/or more cheese to thicken the sauce.
Use another cheese if you want or a combination of cheeses – a great way to clean out your cheese drawer!
Have fun with this quick “recipe” and enjoy your results.
