Pasta Carbonara Florentine

I made this because I decided since I got home an hour earlier than D yesterday, it would be the right thing to do...and it looked easy. It was pretty easy. I got confused on the egg white vs. egg yolk, and wasted an egg, but other than that, I think I did ok.

The taste...again, it needed garlic. I liked the Spinach Fettuccine better. So did D. We had with Caesar Salad.

Pasta Carbonara Florentine
Whisked eggs and Parmesan cheese are stirred into a skillet of just-cooked pasta to form a rich, creamy sauce that coats the noodles (I must have missed this sauce...mine was a big glob that I had to keep stirring until we were ready to eat) . The spinach isn't traditional but adds color and a subtly earthy flavor twist.

Cooking spray
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1 (6-ounce) package bagged prewashed baby spinach
6 slices center-cut bacon, chopped
1 cup finely chopped onion
2 tablespoons dry white wine
8 ounces uncooked spaghetti
1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 large egg
1 large egg white
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Add bacon to pan; cook 3 minutes or until crisp, stirring frequently. Remove bacon from pan, reserving 2 teaspoons drippings in pan; set bacon aside. Add onion to drippings in pan; cook 2 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently. Add wine; cook 1 minute or until liquid is reduced by half. Remove from heat; keep warm.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt and spinach; cook 1 minute or until spinach wilts, stirring constantly. Remove spinach from pan; place in a bowl.

Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain well, reserving 1 tablespoon cooking liquid. Immediately add pasta and the reserved cooking liquid to onion mixture in skillet. Add spinach and bacon; stir well to combine. Place skillet over low heat.

Combine remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, cheese, pepper, egg, and egg white, stirring with a whisk. Add to pasta mixture, tossing well to coat. Cook 1 minute. Remove from heat. Sprinkle with parsley. Serve immediately.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 cup)

CALORIES 387 (26% from fat); FAT 11.3g (sat 5g,mono 4.3g,poly 1.2g); IRON 4.2mg; CHOLESTEROL 74mg; CALCIUM 231mg; CARBOHYDRATE 52.2g; SODIUM 822mg; PROTEIN 19.5g; FIBER 4.5g

Cooking Light, APRIL 2007