Pasta Carbonara

Traditional carbonara is made with just a handful of ingredients—cheese, bacon, garlic, eggs and heavy cream—yet this classic Roman pasta sauce can be tricky to prepare (the eggs create the cream sauce, hopefully without curdling it). For a super-classic version, stick to the basics with bacon or pancetta, garlic, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, large egg yolks and a dash of heavy cream. Carbonara is almost always served with spaghetti or linguine, but you can use whatever pasta you prefer. For a more unusual take on carbonara, try spinach fettuccine tossed with warm pasta and fresh baby spinach; you'll get a vibrant, beautiful dish with some additional health benefits. Find these recipes and more in Food & Wine's guide to carbonara.