Ramen Carbonara

Ingredients:
6 ounces dried shitake mushrooms
3 tbsp. butter
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp, black pepper
10 ounces pancetta (Italian bacon), cut into very small chunks
2 eggs
12 ounces ramen noodles, preferably whole wheat

To Make:

Begin by soaking shitake mushrooms in a bowl of boiling water for fifteen minutes, until they soften.  Cut mushrooms coarsely into small pieces.  Next, heat butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  When butter is mostly melted, add garlic, salt, and pepper, stir to combine, and let simmer for four minutes until garlic is slightly browned.  Add pancetta, stir well, reduce heat to low, and continue to simmer for about ten minutes.

While pancetta mixture is cooking, bring a medium pot of water to boil over high heat.  When boiling, add ramen noodles and cook until al dente, about eight minutes.  Remove pot from heat, strain the noodles, and run cool water over them so that they remain firm and do not stick together.

Next, make the carbonara by adding eggs to the pan, and stirring constantly into the pancetta mixture over low heat for three minutes.  The eggs should cook nicely and blend into the contents of the pan without being runny.  Add noodles, stir well to combine, and cook for two more minutes.  Finally, add the shredded parmesan, stir to combine, and cook for about two minutes more.  Remove from heat, cover, and let cook off the stove for about three more minutes.  Serve and enjoy!

This recipe serves 4 people as a main course.  Complement the carbonara with steamed asparagus as a side dish.