🍝 Carbonara (Filipino-style)

Noodles & Rice · Main ingredient: Pasta · ⏱ 11 min · Serves 5 · ~₱265 · Best for: Dinner, Lunch, Snack

Ingredients

• 500 g 500g spaghetti or fettuccine pasta
• 200 g 200g bacon, chopped, or 200g ham, diced
• 3 tbsp 3 tbsp butter
• 5 clove 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 pc 1 medium onion, chopped
• 250 g 250g button mushrooms, sliced
• 2 cup 2 cups all-purpose cream
• 1 cup 1 cup fresh milk or evaporated milk
• 100 g 100g grated Parmesan or quickmelt cheese
• 1 cup 1 cup cooked, shredded chicken, optional
• 3 pinch Salt and ground black pepper, to taste
• 0.5 tsp Pepper, to taste
• 2 tbsp 2 tbsp chopped parsley, for garnish

Instructions

1. Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water according to package instructions until al dente. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water, and set aside.
2. In a large pan, cook the chopped bacon over medium heat until crispy and it has rendered its fat, about 5-7 minutes. Remove bacon bits and set aside, leaving the fat in the pan.
3. Add butter to the pan and melt, then sauté garlic and onion until fragrant and translucent.
4. Add sliced mushrooms and cook until softened, about 3-4 minutes.
5. If using shredded chicken, add it now and stir to combine and heat through.
6. Pour in the all-purpose cream and milk; stir well and bring to a gentle simmer, being careful not to boil vigorously.
7. Stir in the grated cheese until melted and the sauce is smooth; season with salt and pepper to taste.
8. Return the crispy bacon bits to the sauce, reserving some for garnish.
9. Add the drained pasta to the sauce, tossing to coat evenly. Add reserved pasta water a little at a time if the sauce needs thinning.
10. Plate the pasta, top with remaining bacon bits and chopped parsley, and serve immediately while hot.

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