Pasta Carbonara with Corn & Chiles

If you've been following me for a while, you might happen to notice that I love me some pasta. Pasta with marinara. Pasta with alfredo. Pasta with a meat sauce. Pasta with an olive oil drizzle. Loaded with veggies or speckled with bacon. I have over 60 different pasta recipes floating around on this blog, each one different than the last. And I love it.

Of course I like those classics such as spaghetti and meatballs and lasagna, but every now and again I like to switch things up. Put a new spin on the same ol' same ol'.

As of late I've needed some lickety-quick meals to put together as the hubby and I don't get home until 6 or later. Typically when I think of carbonara, "fast" isn't usually the first word that comes to mind.

Usually it's "eh" because I know tempering eggs is involved. And tempering eggs likes to act like my arch nemesis at times. Ok, most of the time.

Surprisingly, the tempering went without a hitch, and prepping the jalapeno and garlic earlier in the day made this dish come together rather quickly as well.

Pasta Carbonara with Corn and Chiles

Adapted from: Everyday with Rachel Ray via Dinners, Dishes, and Desserts

1 pound fettuccine
1/3 pound bacon, chopped
2 cups frozen corn
1 jalapeno, seeds and membranes removed, finely diced
6 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1/2 cup dry white wine
3 large egg yolks
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add pasta and cook according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the pasta water.

Meanwhile, cook the bacon until brown and almost crispy over medium-high heat. Add the corn; cook for about 5 minutes, or until edges are just starting to turn light brown. Add the jalapeno and garlic, cooking for an additional 2 minutes. Stir in the parsley and wine, reducing heat to low. Simmer until most of the wine has been absorbed.

In a small bowl, beat the egg yolks lightly with a fork. Pour about 1/4 cup of the reserved pasta water into the eggs, whisking quickly. Continuing to whisk, add the remaining pasta water in 1/4 cup increments. In a large bowl, toss together the pasta, corn mixture, and tempered eggs. Add the Parmesan and quickly toss to form the sauce, 1 to 2 minutes.

Serves: 8

Oh Rachel Ray, why on earth would you add thyme to this dish? (The original recipe called for 2 tsp. dried thyme.) It just doesn't fit in with corn and jalapenos. Not at all. Without it though, the corn and chiles were definitely a great contrast to the usual carbonara -- a silky smooth sauce but with heat from the peppers and crunch from the corn. Yum.

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 177g
Amount per serving
Calories 363	Calories from fat 118
% Daily Value
Total Fat 13.2g	20%
Saturated Fat 4.5g	23%
Cholesterol 146mg	49%
Sodium 559mg	23%
Total Carbs 40.5g	30%
Fiber 1.2g	5%
Sugars 1.6g
Protein 18.3g
Vitamin A 8%	Vitamin C 11%
Calcium 10%	Iron 16%