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Does pasta have a place on the breakfast table? According to recipe developer Olivia Mack McCool<\/a> the answer to that question couldn\u2019t be simpler\u2014and she has the recipe to prove it.<\/p>\n \u201cI started making this pasta out of sheer necessity,\u201d writes McCool, describing the dish that became known in her home as \u201cBreakfast Pasta.\u201d At the time, McCool was suffering from severe morning sickness, which left her unable to enjoy many of her favorite foods. The combination of pasta, butter, and egg, however, still held promise.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen I was pregnant, during the first trimester, I had horrible morning sickness and just about all food made me nauseous,\u201d McCool says. \u201cButtered pasta was one of the only things I could stomach. One day, I thought to add an egg to it for protein.\u201d<\/p>\n The dish ended up being a staple throughout the rest of her pregnancy. It was filling, incredibly quick to make, and used ingredients she always had on hand.<\/p>\n So what exactly<\/em> is breakfast pasta? In McCool\u2019s version, drained pasta (any short shape will do) gets added back to the still-hot pan it was cooked in\u2014along with a generous hunk of butter. Once the butter is mostly melted, just crack an egg into the pan and stir the whole concoction vigorously. The residual heat from the pasta and pan cooks the egg, while the emulsification of the egg and butter creates a glossy sauce. Top the saucy, coated pasta with a sprinkle of everything bagel seasoning, and you\u2019ve got a solid breakfast (or lunch, or dinner).<\/p>\n Avid home cooks will likely recognize this technique\u2014of using egg to create a silky pasta sauce\u2014as the same principle behind a Roman-style carbonara<\/a>. However, where carbonara employs pork (typically guanciale or pancetta) and a generous dose of cheese (often Pecorino or Parmesan), McCool keeps her ingredient list as simple and no-frills as possible to save herself from extra trips to the supermarket or specialty butcher.<\/p>\n \u201cI make carbonara all the time. I love carbonara,\u201d McCool says, elaborating on the technique behind her recipe. \u201cThat was what my Italian dad made us when we didn\u2019t have a lot of time.\u201d<\/p>\n The idea of taking carbonara\u2014in all of its bacony, eggy goodness\u2014and turning it into a breakfast dish is not an entirely new one. The Kitchn\u2019s version<\/a> substitutes white cheddar for the traditional Pecorino or Parm. Alton Brown\u2019s recipe, adapted for The New York Times<\/em><\/a>, incorporates breakfast sausage, scallions, and a panko breadcrumb topping. And in 2018, we wrote about champion boxer Laila Ali\u2019s cookbook, Food for Life<\/em><\/a>\u2014and the breakfast pasta (made with eggs, turmeric, and cheese) she often served to her two young children.<\/p>\n According to McCool, the reason for the dish’s enduring popularity is simple: \u201cI think people like something that is super simple to make but wows them when they take a bite,\u201d she says. \u201cGood quality ingredients and simple techniques and you can feed yourself quite well.\u201d<\/p>\n Ready to try breakfast pasta for yourself? Find the recipe below\u2014and be sure to tell us what you think.<\/p>\n Ingredients<\/p>\n \n
\n \n Kosher salt<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n 1<\/span><\/td>\n \n heaping cup dry short cut pasta (like shells or elbows)<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n 2<\/span><\/td>\n \n tablespoons salted butter<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n 1<\/span><\/td>\n \n large egg<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n 1<\/span><\/td>\n \n teaspoon everything bagel spice<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n \n
\n \n Kosher salt<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n 1<\/span><\/td>\n \n heaping cup dry short cut pasta (like shells or elbows)<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n 2<\/span><\/td>\n \n tablespoons salted butter<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n \n
\n 1<\/span><\/td>\n \n large egg<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n 1<\/span><\/td>\n \n teaspoon everything bagel spice<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
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\nDo you eat pasta for breakfast? Share your thoughts in the comments!<\/em>
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