I had a pet theory about pasta carbonara. To me, it seemed like the quintessential late winter, early spring dish. Before being able to buy whatever ingredients whenever we wanted, eating with the seasons was the only option. In the late winter and early spring, the only meat still hanging around was doing it quite literally. It was cured. Like bacon, pancetta and guanciale. And some of the earliest spring veggies are peas. And, despite it being less than traditional, I like mine with peas. Probably because the green makes me feel less guilty about the pork fat and cheese. Or, because I really like peas. When I did a little research on the matter, it seems that pasta carbonara is really an austerity measure dish. The simple ingredients make plain pasta feel fancy and you can serve a delicious dish on the cheap. 2 – 3 slices bacon, pancetta or guanciale (most traditional); small dice 2 eggs ½ pound spaghetti salt and pepper 2 – 4 tablespoons grated pecorino Butter (optional, nontraditional addition) 1 cups peas (optional, nontraditional addition) Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Meanwhile, add the diced bacon to a large skillet on medium … Continue reading →