Carbonara has always been one of my favorite Italian dishes, but something my family never made. This was my first time making it. I looked at a few recipes on the net and finally found something close to what I wanted. I posted that recipe here and updated for all of the modifications I made.
Shrimp Carbonara
Course:
Main Course
Cuisine:
Italian
Ingredients
- 12 ounces bucatini*
- 4 slices bacon diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 8 ounces medium shrimp peeled, deveined and roughly chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 4 ounces cream cheese cubed
- 1/4 cup half and half* or more, as needed
- 1/2 cup frozen peas
- 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
Instructions
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In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package instructions; drain well.
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Heat a large skillet over medium high heat.
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Add bacon and cook until brown and crispy, about 6-8 minutes. Drain excess fat; reserving 1 tablespoon in the skillet.
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Transfer bacon to a paper towel-lined plate.
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Add garlic to the skillet and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.
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Season shrimp with basil, oregano, salt and pepper, to taste.
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Add shrimp to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until pink, about 2-3 minutes.
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Stir in cream cheese, half and half and peas until well combined, about 1-2 minutes.
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If the mixture is too thick, add more half and half as needed until desired consistency is reached.
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Stir in pasta and bacon.
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Serve immediately, garnished with Parmesan and parsley, if desired.