After hearing Kali extol its virtues this week, I had to get me some bacon and try to whip up some carbonara.

This was, of course, what the Italians would call “half-assed carbonara,” using no recipe other than what Kali herself told me over the phone in about two minutes. But — in my own bastardized non-Italian way — I wound up making something pretty good.

Here’s the rundown:

Box of President’s Choice “Memories of Calabria” bronze cut fusilli corti bucati
Two eggs
Two tablespoons olive oil
Six slices thick home-cut farmer’s bacon
Whack o’ sharp cheddar cheese
Also some Parmesan cheese
Fresh ground pepper
Green and red bell peppers (off-recipe, for colour).

Set your water to boilin’ and, as the water gets to boilin’, start pre-heating your skillet (cast iron, baby!) with the olive oil and chop your bacon into fine strips.

When the water is boilin’ good, toss that pasta in there. As the pasta cooks, keep frying that bacon, and toss a couple of eggs into a bowl. Grate up a bunch of the cheese (should be all Parmesan, but I didn’t have that much, so I subbed in the very old sharp cheddar), and mix a handful of grated cheese with the two eggs. Mix, but don’t beat the hell out of the egg-and-cheese. Add some fresh ground pepper.

Once the pasta is done, drain it and then, quick like bunny, put it back in the hot pot and put your cheese-and-egg in there. Stir it up, then add your bacon (but not alla the grease). Stir a bit more. The heat of the pasta and the bacon cook the egg and melt the cheese.

Let the whole thing mix/cook/sit for a minute, then add another handful of shredded cheese and give it another stir. This second handful of cheese will stay less melty and more cheesy. More pepper, and your pre-chopped green and red bell pepper.

I added the green and red bell pepper for colour — it’s not in any recipe — and for flavour, because I love bell peppers, and for vegetables, because I can’t always be arsed to prepare a vegetable side. Added a bit more ground pepper just before eating, and it was good to go.

SUPER good to go. What a meal. I’m a happy camper. Made enough for four future dinners too, all portioned out in the freezer and awaiting the journey to the centre of my belly.

Start to finish: 32 minutes. Not so bad, hey? I listened to the commentary track on Season Two, Episode Six of The Wire and sang merry songs.

A delicious evening. Most highly recommended.