Spaghetti Carbonara and Baked Peaches with Rosemary-Scented Mascarpone

Mmmm, I love bell peppers and mushrooms!

Jeremy came home on Wednesday so I made a fancy meal for him. It was different from what I usually make in that the main ingredients were pork, eggs, and cheese. How often does that happen? But in some ways it was also very much like what I like to cook: Italian!

The recipe? Carbonara.

Quick note: sometimes I find it difficult to write down what I cook because I don't so much follow a recipe as use what looks good, what I have at the time, and what I feel like eating. :P

Ingredients:
1 pound spaghetti (we use whole wheat)
Extra-virgin olive oil
4 ounces pancetta or slab bacon, diced
4 cloves minced garlic
2 eggs
1 cup grated Parmesan or Romano
1/4 cup cream
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
Cook spaghetti according to package.

While spaghetti is cooking, heat olive oil in a pan. Add pancetta and cook until criping, about 3 minutes. Add the minced garlic and saute another minute.

Drain the pasta and add to the garlic and pancetta. Toss to coat with oil and fat.

In a bowl, combine, eggs, cheese, and cream. Stir well and add to pasta, stirring the pasta quickly so that eggs coat but do not scramble. Add pepper to taste. Salt does not usually need to be added due to the pancetta and cheese.

Ingredients:
4 peaches
White wine
Butter
Brown sugar/Cinnamon
Sprig of rosemary leaves
3 tablespoons cream
6 ounces mascarpone, room temperature
Honey

Originally, I was going to grill the peaches, but that wasn't working out so I decided to bake them.


Directions:

Cut four peaches in half, removing the stone and placing them in a glass baking dish. (Sidenote: I added a little white wine and water to the bottom of the baking dish to keep them from drying out and roasting. On the center of each peach half I placed a dab of butter. I cannot stress how little I used, maybe a little more than half a teaspoon for each, but just to keep them moist. Then, for a little more flavor, I added some brown sugar and cinnamon on top, again, maybe a half teaspoon total.)

Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes.

While the peaches are baking, heat the small amount of cream in a saucepan with the rosemary leaves until cream is heated, lightly pressing the rosemary leaves. Smells so good!

Add the rosemary scented cream mixture to the mascarpone and stir well. When peaches are finished, top with mascarpone and drizzle with honey. I served the majority of the mascarpone on the side. Mmmm...