Pasta Carbonara is a traditional Italian pasta dish that I consider to be special occasion food for its simple, yet indulgent ingredients. In this rustic dish, starchy pasta, crispy bacon, sharp cheese, creamy eggs, garlic, and black pepper are combined to create a decadently rich dinner that can be made in only 15 minutes. After experimenting with this dish I have found that there are only two things that you need to know about Carbonara. First, it is crucial to use quality ingredients, so this is the time to splurge on good pancetta and Parmigiano-Reggiano because they are the stars of your dish. Second, it is equally as important to get the timing right so that the pasta is hot enough to cook the eggs, but not so hot that it "scrambles" them. I think that Tyler Florence does a great job at instructing the proper technique that ensures a winning dish! I highly recommended that you give this a try the next time you are trying to make a lasting impression without too much effort. Affordable, simple and classic. Enjoy!
recipe by Tyler Florence
Ingredients
6oz dry spaghetti
6oz dry spaghetti
1/4 cup of reserved pasta cooking water
1 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 ounces pancetta or slab bacon, cubed or sliced into small strips
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 ounces pancetta or slab bacon, cubed or sliced into small strips
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 large egg
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for serving
Freshly ground black pepper
1 handful fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for serving
Freshly ground black pepper
1 handful fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Directions
Prepare the sauce while the pasta is cooking to ensure that the spaghetti will be hot and ready when the sauce is finished; it is very important that the pasta is hot when adding the egg mixture, so that the heat of the pasta cooks the raw eggs in the sauce.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add the pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until tender yet firm (as they say in Italian "al dente.") Drain the pasta well, reserving 1/2 cup of the starchy cooking water to use in the sauce if you wish.
Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a deep skillet over medium flame. Add the pancetta and saute for about 3 minutes, until the bacon is crisp and the fat is rendered. Toss the garlic into the fat and saute for less than 1 minute to soften.
Add the hot, drained spaghetti to the pan and toss for 2 minutes to coat the strands in the bacon fat. Beat the eggs and Parmesan together in a mixing bowl, stirring well to prevent lumps. Remove the pan from the heat and pour the egg/cheese mixture into the pasta, whisking quickly until the eggs thicken, but do not scramble (this is done off the heat to ensure this does not happen.) Thin out the sauce with a bit of the reserved pasta water, until it reaches desired consistency. Season the carbonara with several turns of freshly ground black pepper and taste for salt. Mound the spaghetti carbonara into warm serving bowls and garnish with chopped parsley. Pass more cheese around the table.
Prepare the sauce while the pasta is cooking to ensure that the spaghetti will be hot and ready when the sauce is finished; it is very important that the pasta is hot when adding the egg mixture, so that the heat of the pasta cooks the raw eggs in the sauce.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add the pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until tender yet firm (as they say in Italian "al dente.") Drain the pasta well, reserving 1/2 cup of the starchy cooking water to use in the sauce if you wish.
Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a deep skillet over medium flame. Add the pancetta and saute for about 3 minutes, until the bacon is crisp and the fat is rendered. Toss the garlic into the fat and saute for less than 1 minute to soften.
Add the hot, drained spaghetti to the pan and toss for 2 minutes to coat the strands in the bacon fat. Beat the eggs and Parmesan together in a mixing bowl, stirring well to prevent lumps. Remove the pan from the heat and pour the egg/cheese mixture into the pasta, whisking quickly until the eggs thicken, but do not scramble (this is done off the heat to ensure this does not happen.) Thin out the sauce with a bit of the reserved pasta water, until it reaches desired consistency. Season the carbonara with several turns of freshly ground black pepper and taste for salt. Mound the spaghetti carbonara into warm serving bowls and garnish with chopped parsley. Pass more cheese around the table.
Jenn!
ReplyDeleteI am so excited you are doing this. I can't wait to start trying these recipes. Keep it going-I'll be following it everyday!
Love, Francie