Bacon-filled cheesy pasta dish that you can't resist this fall: 'Definitely my go-to'

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Italian chef says this is the best time of day to eat pasta

Giuseppe Barbera, chef and co-founder of Pochino Italy in Kennesaw, Georgia, tells Fox News Digital what he believes is the best time of day to eat pasta.

Lisa Steele, a Maine-based cookbook author and the creator of the website Fresh Eggs Daily, shared her favorite comfort food recipe with Fox News Digital. 

"It has to be cheesy, and it also has to come together quickly using ingredients I already have on hand." 

For Steele, that means she's making a tagliatelle carbonara. 

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"Carbonara calls for pasta, eggs, cheese and bacon," she said. 

While bacon is a key ingredient, she also says it's "optional," depending on people's preference. 

For Lisa Steele, her comfort food of choice is her tagliatelle carbonara, as it is "cheesy," full of carbs and comes together quickly.  (Lisa Steele)

"It's still delicious without it," she said. 

The Roman pasta dish is "definitely my go-to when I'm stressed and hungry," Steele told Fox News Digital, referencing why she turns to this comfort food.

Plus, the recipe is "very easy to scale down to a single serving," she said. 

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"Carbohydrate-rich foods boost the production of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that plays a role in mood regulation," said Jonathan Alpert, a psychotherapist in Manhattan and Washington, D.C., and author of the book "Be Fearless: Change Your Life in 28 Days."

Steele's recipe serves four, she said, "but it can be scaled up or down."

He said that while it's fine to indulge in comfort foods once in a while, it's important that this does not spiral into unhealthy eating habits.

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"Eating to satiate hunger and provide nutrients is vastly different [from] eating to satiate boredom, stress and anxiety," Alpert said.

Steele's recipe serves four, she said, "but it can be scaled up or down."

Tagliatelle Carbonara by Lisa Steele

Ingredients

4 egg yolks

⅔ cup fresh finely grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheeses or a combination of both

Kosher salt

Fresh ground black pepper

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1 pound of tagliatelle (but feel free to substitute linguine or fettuccine)

1 to 1½ cups reserved pasta cooking water

6 slices thick-cut bacon, cut into cubes (optional) 

"It has to be cheesy, and it also has to come together quickly using ingredients I already have on hand," Steele said of her fall comfort food. (Lisa Steele)

Directions

1. Heat a large pot of salted water to a boil.

2. Whisk egg yolks and cheese in a medium bowl. Season with salt and a few generous grinds of black pepper. 

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3. Add pasta to pot when water boils. Cook pasta until just al Dente – about seven minutes for tagliatelle. Reserve one to one and a half cups of pasta water before draining. 

4. While pasta is cooking, cook bacon, if using. 

(The recipe by Lisa Steele calls for six slices of thick-cut bacon, but it's optional, she says, for those who would like to leave it out.)

5. Return the drained pasta to the pot and stir in bacon. Slowly pour in egg and cheese mixture until well combined. 

6. Continue to stir, adding in reserved pasta water a few spoonfuls at a time, until the sauce is smooth and creamy. 

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7. Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately with additional grated cheese, if desired. 

This recipe is owned by Lisa Steele and was shared with Fox News Digital.