Single Guy Meal - Ramen Carbonara

[JimFromTN]

Fancy italian food for the single guy

1 Package Ramen Noodles
1 egg
2 Pieces lunchmeat ham or 3 slices bacon - chopped
Parmesean Cheese - Cheap powder stuff
1 tablespoon butter, olive oil, or veg oil - Whatever you got. 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Black Pepper
Parsley, if you got it.
Salt, if you did not use bacon

Cook the ramen noodles and drain.
In a heated pan, melt butter or heat oil. Add Ham and or bacon. Cook until bacon is cooked or ham is heated thru. Add garlic and stir. If fresh garlic, cook a minute. Toss in ramen noodles and stir. Add 1/4 cup Parm cheese and mix. Turn off heat, add egg, and mix. Add 1/2 tablespoon parsley. Salt and pepper to taste.

You can always make it better by using fresh ingredients like fresh garlic, pancetta, fresh quality parm cheese, and fresh flat leaf parsley. The again, why not just use spaghetti and make real carbonara.

 

[jb3]

My wife makes a mean Carbonara. I prefer a slab of uncut bacon over pancetta.

 

[TAFKAP]

Real carbonara is just as easy, and is about the original Italian bachelor dish. I'd prefer to stick to that.

I've alwyas used about a cup of cream & a tbsp of red wine vinegar. The vinegar helps "curdle" the milk in the hot pasta, forming somewhat of a cheese binder to everything.

 

[JimFromTN]

Not sure but I think you missed the point. The point was to take ingredients found in the average single guys kitchen and make a carbonara. Don't think the average single guy has pancetta, fresh parm, or even fresh garlic in their kitchen. They might have the jarred stuff. Most guys have spaghetti noodles because all they have to do is add some jarred sauce for a meal. The reason for the ramen is that it can be made in a matter of a couple of minutes. Its also a predifined serving and you don't have to guess how much noodles to boil. The whole meal takes about 5 minutes to make, costs less than a dollar, and contains ingredients that most guys have in their kitchen.. Hence, the single guy meal.

 

[TAFKAP]

It's always been a cheap fallback in our kitchen. I've never used anything but bacon, egg, garlic powder, salt, pepper, cream, spaghetti, and vinegar.

 

[BigAl]

When I was single it was simply ramen noodles and a can of green beans for me. Couldn't afford to be fancy.

 

[TAFKAP]

Not sure but I think you missed the point. The point was to take ingredients found in the average single guys kitchen and make a carbonara. Don't think the average single guy has pancetta, fresh parm, or even fresh garlic in their kitchen. They might have the jarred stuff. Most guys have spaghetti noodles because all they have to do is add some jarred sauce for a meal. The reason for the ramen is that it can be made in a matter of a couple of minutes. Its also a predifined serving and you don't have to guess how much noodles to boil. The whole meal takes about 5 minutes to make, costs less than a dollar, and contains ingredients that most guys have in their kitchen.. Hence, the single guy meal.

My apologies for coming across as snooty....my point was that this is such a simple dish anyway, I didn't see a reason to try to simplify it further. Carry on

 

[JimFromTN]

Thats ok. I was thinking back to when I was in college and on a budget. Things like bacon, cream, and vinegar did not exist in my kitchen. I was lucky if I had an egg in the frig. A 10 cent package of Ramen noodles and a 50 cent can of chili poured over the top was a typical meal.