Monday Meals: Pasta Carbonara

In the summer months; meals in the Wisconsin Test Kitchen have a common theme:  incorporating as many vegetables as possible into our meals. Since we joined a CSA four years ago, it's been our goal to eat as much of our share as possible without wasting it. We've gotten creative with beet greens, purslane (we're still not a fan) and kohlrabi (stay tuned for that post). We blanch, freeze, saute, blend and consume as much as possible. We even combine it with bacon when we can. 

This past week we were getting ready to leave for vacation, and were trying to clean out our refrigerator. We had a package of bacon, a head of cauliflower, and some mushrooms. We combined all these ingredients together into a delicious Carbonara pasta. Word of warning: double the recipe. You won't regret it. 

Cauliflower and Mushroom Carbonara

1 small head cauliflower, cut into florets
8 ounces mushrooms, quartered
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
8 ounces fettuccine
4 ounces bacon cut into 1 inch pieces
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 eggs
1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated Parmesan cheese
plenty of fresh cracked black pepper
salt to taste
1 tablespoon parsley, chopped


Toss the cauliflower and mushrooms in the oil, salt and pepper, place on a baking sheet in a single layer and roast in a preheated 400F oven until they start to caramelize, about 20-30 minutes, mixing half way through.

Start cooking the pasta as directed on the package.

Cook the bacon in a pan, pour off all but a tablespoon of the grease from the pan, add the garlic, cook for 30 second and turn off the heat.

Mix the egg, cheese, pepper and salt and parsley in a bowl.

Drain the cooked pasta, reserving some of the water.

Mix the pasta, egg mixture, cauliflower and mushrooms into the pan with the bacon, adding reserved pasta water as needed.

Confession: it was the first time we tried making carbonara, but it won't be the last. We enjoyed the rich egg sauce mixed with the bacon and caramelized vegetables. We're anxiously awaiting our next cauliflower- just so we can make this recipe again soon! Next time you're looking to make an indulgent Italian meal- this is your dish!

Stay Cool,
The Cool Dads Crew