Linquine Carbonara

[annetoin]

Does anyone have any suggestions as to how to lighten this dish up. without losing the flavor. It is one of my favorites, but it is definitely not light.

[lorilei]

This recipe should give you some good ideas with regard to good substitutions to make in the dish...

Good luck!


PASTA CARBONARA
4 servings

6 ounces turkey bacon, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
6 cups spaghetti or fettucini, cooked
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 cup 2% low-fat milk
6 tablespoons egg substitute

Cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until crisp. Add garlic and saute 1 minute or until tender. Reduce heat to low; stir in pasta, cheese, parsley, and pepper. Combine milk and egg substitute; stir well. Pour milk mixture over spaghetti mixture, and cook 3 minutes or until sauce thickens, stirring constantly. Serve immediately.

Nutrition Facts
Amount Per Serving: Calories 470 - Calories from Fat 97

Percent Total Calories From: Fat 21%, Protein 21%, Carbohydrate 59%

Totals and Percent Daily Values (2000 calories): Fat 11g, Saturated Fat 2g, Cholesterol 42mg, Sodium 739mg, Total Carbohydrate 69g, Dietary Fiber 0g, Sugars 0g, Protein 24g, Vitamin A 337 units, Vitamin C 2 units, Calcium 0 units, Iron 5 units

[Kelli Kerrigan]

Cooks Ill has an article with recipes for this dish in this month's issue. While it is not light, it is better than some. It sounds like they really did their homework on this one and include a lot of pointers.

[Jewel]

I've substituted Turkey Bacon for the standard bacon with decent success, but I think I like real bacon better, just less of it! I've also sauteed my onions and garlic in the bacon grease left from the real bacon, and extended the flavor even further. I've subbed half and half for the heavy cream also and we couldn't tell the difference. I've honestly not tried the fatfree half and half because I'm still not sure if it will curdle when it's boiled. It also would really alter the taste, I believe.

The more 'punch' your cheese has the better, so make sure you're using a good quality Parmesan Reggiano cheese. You can use less and get more flavor! :D

[Ralph]

Here's an old recipe I copied from Graham Kerr's Smart Cooking. I've made it a number of times with good success.

SPAGHETTI CARBONARA

2 eggs or the equivalent in egg substitute
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
8 oz spaghetti
3 tsp extra light olive oil with a dash of sesame oil
4 oz Canadian bacon, diced
1/8 cup pine nuts
2 tbsp chopped parsley
2 tbsp snipped chives
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3 sun-dried tomato halves, ground to yield 1 tablespoon

1. Beat the eggs lightly with a fork. Sprinkle with the salt & pepper.
2. Cook the spaghetti in boiling water for 10 minutes or until al dente. Drain in a colander set over a large bowl. Pour the water out of the bowl, leaving it nicely heated.
3. While the spaghetti is cooking, heat one tsp. of the oil in a large skillet. Add the bacon & pine nuts. Saute until lightly browned, then transfer into the heated bowl.
4. Add the remaining oil to the heated skillet. Scrape the residue off the bottom of the pan & pour into the heated bowl.
5. Stir the beaten eggs, parsley, chives, cheese, & sun-dried tomatoes into the bowl. Add the spaghetti & toss to cover with the egg mixture. Season with additional salt & pepper to taste. Serves 4

NUTRITIONAL INFO: Cal 413 (28% from fat), Fat 13g, Chol 124mg, Sodium 632mg, Fiber 5g

[aggie94]

Originally posted by Jewel
I've substituted Turkey Bacon for the standard bacon with decent success, but I think I like real bacon better, just less of it!

Back when DH ate a LOT of bacon, I checked labels at the grocery store, thinking it might be smart to switch to turkey bacon. I compared Oscar Mayer turkey bacon to our regular brand of bacon, which is Hormel's Black Label, and found that the turkey bacon had more fat, more calories, and less protein per serving (if I'm remembering correctly). For whatever reason, I've always stuck with Black Label.