Spaghetti alla Carbonara

From EatingWell: October/November 2005 — Subscribe Now!

In this version, the eggs are cooked into a custardlike sauce. An extra step, yes, but the technique ensures food safety. To vary the vegetables, try green beans, asparagus or frozen peas (cook peas separately from pasta).

6 servings, 1 cup each

Active Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Nutrition Profile

Ingredients

1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
3 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, or Canadian bacon, trimmed of fat and diced (1/2 cup)
2 cloves garlic, minced
Pinch of crushed red pepper
3 large eggs, (pasteurized, if desired)
3/4 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
12 ounces whole-wheat spaghetti, or linguine
8 ounces broccolini, (2 1/2 cups) or broccoli rabe (4 cups), stem ends trimmed, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese
Salt, to taste

Preparation

Put a large pot of water on to boil for cooking pasta. Also bring about 1 inch of water to a gentle simmer in the bottom of a double boiler (see Equipment Tip).
Heat oil in a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add prosciutto (or Canadian bacon) and cook, stirring often, until heated through, about 2 minutes. Add garlic and crushed red pepper; cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Remove from heat.
Whisk eggs, broth and pepper in the top of the double boiler to combine. Set over the simmering water in the bottom of the double boiler and cook, whisking constantly in a slow, steady, figure-eight motion, until the sauce steams and thickens enough to coat a metal spoon, 5 to 7 minutes. The sauce may have a few small curdles. Remove the top pan from the heat and whisk the sauce rapidly so it does not continue to curdle.
Meanwhile, cook pasta in the boiling water, stirring often, for 5 minutes. Drop in broccolini (or broccoli rabe) and cook until the pasta is tender but firm, 4 to 6 minutes more. Drain and place in a large bowl. Add the egg sauce, the prosciutto (or bacon) mixture and cheese; toss to coat well. Season with salt, if desired.

Tips & Notes

Equipment tip: No double boiler? Improvise by setting a large stainless-steel bowl over a pan of simmering water.

Nutrition

Per serving: 307 calories; 7 g fat (2 g sat, 2 g mono); 121 mg cholesterol; 45 g carbohydrates; 19 g protein; 8 g fiber; 528 mg sodium; 231 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Selenium (70% daily value), Vitamin C (60% dv), Fiber (30% dv), Calcium (15% dv), Iron (15% dv).

2 1/2 Carbohydrate Serving

Exchanges: 2.5 starch, 1/2 vegetable, 1.5 medium-fat meat (mono)

Nutrition Note: Original Carbonara 574 calories, 27 grams total fat, 14 grams saturated fat, 2 grams fiber EW Carbonara 307 calories, 7 grams total fat, 2 grams saturated fat, 8 grams fiber