A tasty twist on Pasta Carbonara

Pasta Carbonara
#Local Meat

I love pasta Carbonara.  My husband LOVES pasta Carbonara.  My kids even like it!  There is only one problem....I hate cooking bacon!  I am not good at it.  Most times that I have tried to cook bacon it turns out half burned or too limp.  Not to mention my stove gets covered in bacon grease, so it winds up taking me just as long to clean it all up. Cooking bacon is just not my thing.  When we do eat it, it is usually on the weekends and my husband cooks it (willing, I should add, since he knows it is not going to turn out well if I do).  Now the chances of us having left over bacon to use for recipes during the week is slim to none.  So, I have few options when it comes to making carbonara....don't make it (but it's so good!), wait for my husband to get home and cook the bacon (we would be eating at 8:00), or use bacon that I cooked (YIKES! I don't want to ruin the dish).  I will admit that I have used the bagged bacon bits in the past, but the preservatives in them make me cringe so I am trying to steer clear.  Long story short is, it hasn't been looking good for pasta carbonara in our house lately.  That is until recently. My friend and amazing chef, Emily Prial from Side Hill Farmers, gave me a new and simple way to make it!  SOOOOO GOOD!!!!  I was a little nervous when she first told me that the recipe included a ham hock.  I had never used one before and was a bit daunted about how to cook it.  I shouldn't have been because it could not have been easier!    

Ingredients:

• 1 local pasture raised Ham Hock
• 1 large onion diced
• 2 Tbs olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups frozen organic peas
• 2 local pasture raised eggs lightly beaten
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese 
• 12 oz organic linguine 

Directions:  

1. Place ham hock in crock pot and cover with water.
2. Cook on low for 8-10 hours.
3. Take ham hock out. (save the water it was cooked in).  The meat will fall off the bone.  Separate fat from meat and shred meat.  
4. Heat olive oil over medium heat and saute onions for about 5-6 mins.  
5. Add peas and saute another 3 mins. 
6. Add shredded ham to peas and onions.  Mix together and heat for another 2-3 mins
7. Meanwhile cook pasta according to directions on the package.
8. After pasta is cooked and drained add 1/4-1/2 cup of water to the cooked pasta and stir. 
9. Add lightly beaten eggs to hot pasta with tongs until fully combined.  The eggs should cook from the heat of the pasta.  
10. Add and combine onion, pea and ham mixture to pasta.  
11. Add and combine Parmesan to pasta.
12. Serve and enjoy!   Sprinkle with extra Parmesan if desired. 

Why it is good for you: So you are probably thinking by now... "What is she going to say to convince me that pasta carbonara good for you"?  For me, the definition of "good for you" has to do with what goes into making a dish.  To me, if you are using whole foods sourced from quality places that care about their product and produce it in the best way possible for all involved, then it is good for you.  This dish contains all whole foods other than the pasta which is minimally process with organic wheat.  The onions are from my CSA share and the ham hock and eggs come from Side Hill Farmers, a butcher shop and market in Manlius, NY that gets its meat and grocery items from local farmers.  All meat from there comes from farms with pasture raised meat, no hormones, and no antibiotics.  To me, that is "good for you".