Pasta Carbonara

Well, I realize that my love for Italy has not had a chance to shine through lately, what with taking a back seat to my recent trip to Paris and all. So it is time I give Italy its fair shake. I love Italian food, and I never met a pasta dish that I didn’t like, but a dish that has about 5 ingredients or less and is not complicated to make, is a treasure in my book. So, I give you….Pasta Carbonara!

This recipe is adapted partly from a Martha Stewart Living recipe, and partly from other Italian versions I have used. I use whole wheat pasta, for the extra bite, fiber and nutritional value, but you can certainly use the traditional semolina, which of course cooks faster.

The one constant in a true Roman version of Carbonara sauce is that there is no cream. Sometimes I will add torn pieces of rotisserie chicken that I may have left over from dinner one night, just to change it up a bit.

And whatever you do, please use fresh blocks of cheese, not that pre-packaged stuff. Real cheese has so much more flavor!

You will need:

Course salt
1 pound spaghetti
4 ounces pancetta, chopped or cubed
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
3 minced garlic cloves
4 large eggs, room temperature
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup freshly grated Pecorino-Romano cheese
freshly ground black pepper

How to make it:

1. Boil a pot of salted water. Add pasta, cook to al dente. Drain.

2. Meanwhile, cook pancetta in a skillet over med-high heat. Stir to make sure it does not stick. Remove with a slotted spoon when brown. Keep on the side in a bowl.

3. Reduce heat to med-low, add the oil than the garlic and cook until golden, but do not burn it! Lightly beat the eggs in the bottom of your serving bowl. When the pasta is done, add it to the skillet with the garlic and toss. Then transfer the pasta to the serving bowl with the eggs and toss. The heat of the pasta will *cook* the eggs. Add the cheese and the pancetta and toss again. Season with lots of black pepper and serve with some additional grated cheese on top.

Buon Appetito!

* If you are afraid of eggs that are not fully cooked, I would tell you to pass on this dish. But for the rest of you…mmmmm good!

Geggie
November 1st, 2007
Ah…love it so much. Agreed…cream ruins it. I don’t eat eggs (unless in baked goods), they just gross me out. So, I can’t think too much about the eggs in this. It’s fabulous.
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Geggie-
I don’t think about the fat or calories either
xoxo
Robin

Geggie
November 1st, 2007
Uhh…hello? I didn’t mention the calories because I’m in denial.
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Oh, sorry to bring it up then….. hee hee

KC
November 2nd, 2007
I’ve never actually made or even eaten carbonara! I have an egg thing too, but I can eat frittate and quiche, so I don’t know what’s keeping me from trying carbonara. Well, for one thing I didn’t realize how easy it is to make! I’ll give it a try, but after the bambina arrives. No uncooked egg for me before then!
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Yes KC…probably not a good idea…but what a treaat after she comes
xoxo
Robin

Maryann@FindingLaDolceVita
November 2nd, 2007
It looks good from here, Robin
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Maryann,
I am surprised that you couldn’t smell the pancetta cookin’ from there…it smokes up the whole house…it really does smell rather gross when you cook it (which doesn’t make the vegetarian in the house very happy) but it tastes oh so good when you eat it
xoxo
Robin

Paris Parfait
November 5th, 2007
My husband would love this dish – but I’m not sure about the eggs not fully cooked bit.
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I have Ceasar salad dressing all the time, with the raw egg…and I am not dead yet! I figure if I’m gonna go, and my last meal was Pasta Carbonara…well …it was soooo worth it
R