Bringin' Home the Bacon

Matt Smith's Pants-Droppin' Carbonara with Yummy Asparagus and Bacon

So . . . entertaining a house full of boys tonight. What to do? What to do? As luck had it I just so happened to have a refrigerator full of unused bacon. Hungry boys + bacon = a successful meal. Matt Smith was coming over for video games and good times. Ahh . . . Matt Smith, the perpetual undergrad (8 years running) full of jokes and an appetite for life. For some reason Matt Smith has some weird joke about dropping his pants. Over our pre-dinner wine and snacks (homemade hummus with pita wedges and eggplant cheese toasts, duh) I promised I'd name this recipe after him. So here we go: Matt Smith's Pants-Droppin' Carbonara. He giggled with delight, by the way, at this title for the recipe. It comes together in a snap- a pasta dish light enough to be enjoyed as springtime freshness turns to the humidity of the fall. Enjoy!

Ingredients
- 6 sliced bacon, diced
- 3 large shallots, peeled and sliced crosswise
- 1 lb. asparagus, sliced crosswise into 2" bite-sized pieces
- salt and pepper to taste
- a good splash of dry white wine
- 8 oz. penne pasta
- 1 c. grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 eggs, room temperature

Place diced bacon in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook bacon until it starts to turn golden brown. Remove cooked bacon from skillet with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Set aside. Scoop out excess bacon fat reserving about 3 Tbsp. in skillet. Return skillet to heat and add shallots. Cook over medium until shallots are softened and start to turn brown. Add asparagus to pan with a splash of wine. Cover and cook about 2 minutes until asparagus is bright green and tender-crisp. Turn heat to low to keep warm.

Meanwhile, boil a large pot of water and cook penne pasta to al dente according to package directions. While pasta is working, beat eggs in a medium bowl with grated Parmesan cheese until thoroughly combined. When pasta is cooked, drain, reserving 1/4 c. of cooking liquid. Slowly beat into egg mixture until combined. Add cooked pasta to asparagus and shallot mixture then pour egg and cheese mixture in. Heat over low to cook the raw egg. Add bacon to mixture and stir to combine. Divide among four plates and sprinkle with extra Parmesan cheese. It's super fast, easy, and good in your face. I hope you like it! By the way, Matt Smith had two helpings. Granted, this is a boy who likes food in his face . . . but still . . . I think he liked it!