Spaghetti Carbonara

"I have nothing to make for dinner."

Sound familiar? How many times a week do you say that to yourself? Whenever I think that, I remind myself that I almost always have the ingredients on hand for one of my favorite comfort food dishes, spaghetti carbonara.

Serves 1:

1/4 lb. spaghetti
2 slices center cut bacon
1 egg yolk (I've tried the entire egg, but prefer the creaminess the yolk provides)
a handful of grated parmesan cheese (~ 1/4 cup)
1 clove garlic, minced or run through a garlic press
splash (1/4 cup) dry white wine (I've also used sparkling wine and beer with success)

Cook spaghetti according to package directions.

Meanwhile, cut bacon into 1/4 inch wide strips.
Cook bacon in a non-stick skillet over medium heat in 1 Tbs olive oil until bacon is crisp. Remove and drain on paper towels.
Add garlic and cook until fragrant, but do not let it brown
Add wine and cook for a moment, letting it bubble.
In a separate bowl, beat egg yolk with parmesan cheese and a pinch of pepper
As you drain the pasta, reserve about an ounce of the pasta water.
Combine the egg and cheese mixture with the pasta water.
Add cooked, drained pasta to the pan with the garlic and wine. Quickly add the egg, cheese and pasta water mixture to the pan. Using tongs, toss the pasta with the sauce until the sauce has thickened and turned creamy.
Toss reserved bacon into the pasta and serve immediately.

With a glass of white wine, this dish never fails to put me in a good mood.

Notes:
* This recipe is easily modified to feed more. Figure 1/4 lb pasta per person and 1 egg yolk per person. Change the rest accordingly.
* When I buy bacon, I immediately wrap two slices at a time and put in a freezer bag in the freezer. In my own use, I rarely need more than 2 slices at a time for any one recipe. I find this cuts down on waste and thawing time.