Lunch: Linguine alla Carbonara

Perfect before grilled fish or roast chicken.

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups grated Parmesan cheese
3 large eggs
3/4 cup whipping cream
12 ounces linguine
6 bacon slices, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
2 teaspoons minced garlic
3/4 to 1 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
3/4 cup dry vermouth or white wine

Instructions

Whisk 3/4 cup cheese, eggs and cream in medium bowl to blend; set aside.
Cook linguine in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain pasta, reserving 1/2 cup cooking liquid. Return pasta to same pot.
Meanwhile, sauté bacon in heavy large skillet over medium heat until crisp. Add onion, garlic and crushed red pepper. Sauté until onion is translucent, about 8 minutes. Add vermouth. Simmer until most of vermouth has evaporated, about 8 minutes.
Add onion mixture and egg mixture to pasta. Toss over low heat until egg mixture thickens and coats pasta, adding reserved cooking liquid by tablespoonfuls if sauce is too thick, about 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Transfer pasta to large bowl. Pass remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan separately.