Brown mushrooms in 2 TBSP butter, transfer to a small bowl and reserve. Add shallot and sauté for a couple minutes, add garlic and sauté another minute until fragrant. Transfer to bowl with mushrooms.

Cut bacon in ¼-inch strips and fry in the same pan until brown and crisp. Drain and set aside. If using pancetta, melt 2 TBSP butter and sauté small diced pancetta until dark pink; it should remain soft and NOT crisp. Reserve for top on serving.

Whip egg and egg yolks together in a medium bowl. Add cream, salt and pepper, and 2 TBSP cheese, and whisk together until well mixed.

Bring a LARGE pot of water to boil, add pasta and cook according to directions on the package, checking pasta until it is tender but still firm. Add peas to the pasta water for the last minute. Before draining, reserve ¼ cup pasta water. Drain pasta and peas, and rinse well in cool water.

Return the drained pasta and peas to the empty pasta pan on low heat. Add egg mixture and browned mushrooms, and toss well until the sauce coats the pasta and is warmed through. Add cheese and pancetta and toss again. If sauce is too thick, add small amounts of reserved pasta water and toss. Serve on a warm platter. Top with crisp bacon or diced pancetta and serve, with more cheese if desired.

Chef’s Note: Use farm fresh eggs with bright orange yolks and your Carbonara will be rich with a beautiful golden color.

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