pasta alla carbonara (recipe) (6)
shot3743:
cont'd
It's best to get your stuff prepared and give the time factor some thought, then get started! And get someone to get the folks to the table when you're nearly done. Have a look at your bacon and if it's fatty, you don't have to add any olive oil, or very little. Just slice into thin little strips, maybe cutting the strips even smaller, crosswise. The idea is to spread the bacon flavour as much as possible throughout the pasta, in a few seconds. Gently fry but don't let it get crispy.
Now there's a lot of debate in purist circles about what type of meat to use, i.e. between pancetta, which is generally translated as bacon, and guanciale from the cheeks of the pig, which even in Italy is not going to be found in your corner shop. I have found a bacon here in BG which looks more like cooked ham, but works great.
There are also recipes that call for the addition of cream but in the Rome region where this dish is from, restaurateurs are horrified at this notion. Also with the addition of many other things like shallots, mushrooms etc.
Ingredients for the classic dish:
Ingredienti per la pasta alla carbonara (dosi per 4 persone):
350 gr spaghetti non fini e rigorosamente De Cecco o affini
200 gr di guanciale
2 tuorlo grande (3 se usate uova piccole)
mezza tazza di parmigiano non duro grattugiato
abbondante pepe nero macinato al momento, ma non in polvere
OK the above is obviously in Italian but I think needs no translation. The author insists on De Cecco pasta or equivalent.
He's talking guanciale but trust me, use bacon.
2 large egg yolks, three if smaller eggs. Some recipes will use 2 eggs plus 1 or 2 additional yolks. I often put the entire eggs in. Waste not, want not, that's my motto. 3 or 4 eggs. Just make sure the pot is off or nearly off the heat, so the eggs + cheese + pepper mixture don't solidify.
It's important to realise that these amounts are will not give you main course sized portions, so I would say, OK if you have a main course coming up, otherwise this is more like for 2 persons.
Half a cup of grated fresh parmesan or pecorino, not the dried powder. (However I put the pepper mill and dried parmesan on the table, as this dish can be a trifle bland if the cheese isn't strong. For instance if you're using grated emmenthaler as a substitute for pecorino/parmesan) so guests can add more at will.
Abundant freshly ground black pepper in the bowl with the yolks and cheese, mixing well. Some choose this bowl in a size that will sit on top of the pot the pasta is cooking in, and briefly let it sit there for 30 seconds while stirring, to make sure of getting a creamy sauce.
That's it! Enjoy!
cont'd
It's best to get your stuff prepared and give the time factor some thought, then get started! And get someone to get the folks to the table when you're nearly done. Have a look at your bacon and if it's fatty, you don't have to add any olive oil, or very little. Just slice into thin little strips, maybe cutting the strips even smaller, crosswise. The idea is to spread the bacon flavour as much as possible throughout the pasta, in a few seconds. Gently fry but don't let it get crispy.
Now there's a lot of debate in purist circles about what type of meat to use, i.e. between pancetta, which is generally translated as bacon, and guanciale from the cheeks of the pig, which even in Italy is not going to be found in your corner shop. I have found a bacon here in BG which looks more like cooked ham, but works great.
There are also recipes that call for the addition of cream but in the Rome region where this dish is from, restaurateurs are horrified at this notion. Also with the addition of many other things like shallots, mushrooms etc.
Ingredients for the classic dish:
Ingredienti per la pasta alla carbonara (dosi per 4 persone):
350 gr spaghetti non fini e rigorosamente De Cecco o affini
200 gr di guanciale
2 tuorlo grande (3 se usate uova piccole)
mezza tazza di parmigiano non duro grattugiato
abbondante pepe nero macinato al momento, ma non in polvere
OK the above is obviously in Italian but I think needs no translation. The author insists on De Cecco pasta or equivalent.
He's talking guanciale but trust me, use bacon.
2 large egg yolks, three if smaller eggs. Some recipes will use 2 eggs plus 1 or 2 additional yolks. I often put the entire eggs in. Waste not, want not, that's my motto. 3 or 4 eggs. Just make sure the pot is off or nearly off the heat, so the eggs + cheese + pepper mixture don't solidify.
It's important to realise that these amounts are will not give you main course sized portions, so I would say, OK if you have a main course coming up, otherwise this is more like for 2 persons.
Half a cup of grated fresh parmesan or pecorino, not the dried powder. (However I put the pepper mill and dried parmesan on the table, as this dish can be a trifle bland if the cheese isn't strong. For instance if you're using grated emmenthaler as a substitute for pecorino/parmesan) so guests can add more at will.
Abundant freshly ground black pepper in the bowl with the yolks and cheese, mixing well. Some choose this bowl in a size that will sit on top of the pot the pasta is cooking in, and briefly let it sit there for 30 seconds while stirring, to make sure of getting a creamy sauce.
That's it! Enjoy!
shot3743:
cont'd
It's best to get your stuff prepared and give the time factor some thought, then get started! And get someone to get the folks to the table when you're nearly done. Have a look at your bacon and if it's fatty, you don't have to add any olive oil, or very little. Just slice into thin little strips, maybe cutting the strips even smaller, crosswise. The idea is to spread the bacon flavour as much as possible throughout the pasta, in a few seconds. Gently fry but don't let it get crispy.
Now there's a lot of debate in purist circles about what type of meat to use, i.e. between pancetta, which is generally translated as bacon, and guanciale from the cheeks of the pig, which even in Italy is not going to be found in your corner shop. I have found a bacon here in BG which looks more like cooked ham, but works great.
There are also recipes that call for the addition of cream but in the Rome region where this dish is from, restaurateurs are horrified at this notion. Also with the addition of many other things like shallots, mushrooms etc.
Ingredients for the classic dish:
Ingredienti per la pasta alla carbonara (dosi per 4 persone):
350 gr spaghetti non fini e rigorosamente De Cecco o affini
200 gr di guanciale
2 tuorlo grande (3 se usate uova piccole)
mezza tazza di parmigiano non duro grattugiato
abbondante pepe nero macinato al momento, ma non in polvere
OK the above is obviously in Italian but I think needs no translation. The author insists on De Cecco pasta or equivalent.
He's talking guanciale but trust me, use bacon.
2 large egg yolks, three if smaller eggs. Some recipes will use 2 eggs plus 1 or 2 additional yolks. I often put the entire eggs in. Waste not, want not, that's my motto. 3 or 4 eggs. Just make sure the pot is off or nearly off the heat, so the eggs + cheese + pepper mixture don't solidify.
It's important to realise that these amounts are will not give you main course sized portions, so I would say, OK if you have a main course coming up, otherwise this is more like for 2 persons.
Half a cup of grated fresh parmesan or pecorino, not the dried powder. (However I put the pepper mill and dried parmesan on the table, as this dish can be a trifle bland if the cheese isn't strong. For instance if you're using grated emmenthaler as a substitute for pecorino/parmesan) so guests can add more at will.
Abundant freshly ground black pepper in the bowl with the yolks and cheese, mixing well. Some choose this bowl in a size that will sit on top of the pot the pasta is cooking in, and briefly let it sit there for 30 seconds while stirring, to make sure of getting a creamy sauce.
That's it! Enjoy!
cont'd
It's best to get your stuff prepared and give the time factor some thought, then get started! And get someone to get the folks to the table when you're nearly done. Have a look at your bacon and if it's fatty, you don't have to add any olive oil, or very little. Just slice into thin little strips, maybe cutting the strips even smaller, crosswise. The idea is to spread the bacon flavour as much as possible throughout the pasta, in a few seconds. Gently fry but don't let it get crispy.
Now there's a lot of debate in purist circles about what type of meat to use, i.e. between pancetta, which is generally translated as bacon, and guanciale from the cheeks of the pig, which even in Italy is not going to be found in your corner shop. I have found a bacon here in BG which looks more like cooked ham, but works great.
There are also recipes that call for the addition of cream but in the Rome region where this dish is from, restaurateurs are horrified at this notion. Also with the addition of many other things like shallots, mushrooms etc.
Ingredients for the classic dish:
Ingredienti per la pasta alla carbonara (dosi per 4 persone):
350 gr spaghetti non fini e rigorosamente De Cecco o affini
200 gr di guanciale
2 tuorlo grande (3 se usate uova piccole)
mezza tazza di parmigiano non duro grattugiato
abbondante pepe nero macinato al momento, ma non in polvere
OK the above is obviously in Italian but I think needs no translation. The author insists on De Cecco pasta or equivalent.
He's talking guanciale but trust me, use bacon.
2 large egg yolks, three if smaller eggs. Some recipes will use 2 eggs plus 1 or 2 additional yolks. I often put the entire eggs in. Waste not, want not, that's my motto. 3 or 4 eggs. Just make sure the pot is off or nearly off the heat, so the eggs + cheese + pepper mixture don't solidify.
It's important to realise that these amounts are will not give you main course sized portions, so I would say, OK if you have a main course coming up, otherwise this is more like for 2 persons.
Half a cup of grated fresh parmesan or pecorino, not the dried powder. (However I put the pepper mill and dried parmesan on the table, as this dish can be a trifle bland if the cheese isn't strong. For instance if you're using grated emmenthaler as a substitute for pecorino/parmesan) so guests can add more at will.
Abundant freshly ground black pepper in the bowl with the yolks and cheese, mixing well. Some choose this bowl in a size that will sit on top of the pot the pasta is cooking in, and briefly let it sit there for 30 seconds while stirring, to make sure of getting a creamy sauce.
That's it! Enjoy!
thanks you have gone to alot of trouble writing this
tinaferrara: thanks you have gone to alot of trouble writing this
Well thanks for noticing Tina!
My motivation was/is to share my experience so others can enjoy this dish, which is so simple to make and if made right, tastes delicious.
I guess I'm on a mission!
shot3743: Well thanks for noticing Tina!
My motivation was/is to share my experience so others can enjoy this dish, which is so simple to make and if made right, tastes delicious.
I guess I'm on a mission!
My motivation was/is to share my experience so others can enjoy this dish, which is so simple to make and if made right, tastes delicious.
I guess I'm on a mission!
Too much guanciale. Carbonara, like most of Italian meals was a food for poor people who were hardly working all day long and they needed something with plenty of calories but cheap. Pasta is ideal for such request. All additions : eggs, cheese, bacon were putted just to give a flavour to the meal in a small quantities.
For such quantity of spagetti will do 5 dkg of guanciale or pancetta but if they are not near any other bacon will do but, this is important, non of them must be not smoked. Panceta is the best of course. Also you can try with salumi. Some spicy salumi that I have tried spread my horizons. This trick with yolks is good. If you wish to have pasta more juicy don't dry it completely. So you will not need to add extra water and pasta will be hot so that eggs sauce can be cooked. ( For those who don't know: Don't wash pasta in a cool water. Must be hot )
When it is prepared leave it for a couple of minutes before serving.
There is one good and even more simple pasta.
- Cook in a salted water butterflies, worms or caneleone or shells, when they are cooked all dente dry them, put in pasta ( as you wish ) some butter or margarin and parmeggano over everything and mix that. That's all.
Have a good taste
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I've entitled the thread pasta alla carbonara rather than the more common spaghetti, because it's a dish that can be made in advance and reheated (I can see purists throwing up their hands in horror at this idea, given that the very essence of this dish is the way the freshly made hot pasta cooks the sauce, and then it's swiftly brought to the table to be devoured by the hopefully appreciative and hungry diners!!)
But I'm sticking to my guns. When you re-heat it, it's easier to separate it if the pasta is shorter, i.e. penne, linguine, bucatini, rigatoni, whatever. The taste is the same, so it doesn't matter which. I mention this because pasta alla carbonara (woman charcoal maker) is great the day after, or pre-prepared as part of a buffet at a garden party or the like.
One should use good pasta though. If you have a cheaper pasta which you know from personal experience is equivalent in taste and texture to Barilla or Buitoni but cheaper, great. But avoid bargain basement pasta that you haven't tried out. It can ruin your dish and your day! I have found that the Greek Melissa brand pasta is excellent. It's available where I am but for the Italian ones I have to drive to Montana. Yeah, not in the USA, it's a town in Bulgaria! They have a couple of better supermarkets there.
OK, long story short, here's the recipe:
Oh wait I have to digress once again. This dish, while being very very simple and easy to make, requires a little thought in advance, because the crux of the matter is having three dishes, or more exactly 2 pots and a bowl, in which you get things going, in order to be able to unite them in one quick action, and from there straight to the table. In other words, the pan or pot or skillet that you gentry fry the bacon strips in, has to be big enough to hold the steaming hot al dente pasta that you're going to dump on top. At the same time, while keeping this big pot (I use a non-stick cast aluminium pot) on a gentle heat or off the heat altogether, you dump the bowl's contents (the well whisked eggs/extra yolks, salt and pepper, grated pecorino or fresh parmesan cheese) on top of that and mix well with tongs, your hands, whatever. The eggy sauce should not solidify into fried egg texture, so some hot salty water from the pasta pot can be added swiftly. Have a little bowl or jug handy and when draining the pasta, pour a little of the salty water into it, and empty this swiftly onto the pasta, bacon, egg/cheese mix.
Now obviously this dish doesn't take long to make. As the bacon strips will fry gently in a few minutes, the longest part is cooking the pasta, and that only takes 7 or 9 minutes after the water boils (don't forget to put a goodly amount of salt in, though not too much). Mixing the eggs, cheese, salt and pepper is very quickly accomplished also, unless you are grating freshly from a lump of cheese.