Spaghetti alla Carbonara
Pasta… yum! I love pasta and I have to restrain myself from not eating it more than once a week. I like it because it’s so versatile. There are different shapes mixed with different types of sauces and seasoned or garnished with many kinds of cheeses, herbs and seasonings.
There’s one pasta dish that I had when I was living in Toronto and frankly, I wasn’t impressed. It felt dry in my mouth. The seasoning was there but lacked flavor. As it was my first time trying it, I didn’t want to judge it too soon so the next time I was out dining at an Italian restaurant, I ordered it again. I was still disappointed! It was the same dry boring flavor as the first time. Well never two without three, I gave it another chance. Alas, it was definitely not my favorite…
While sharing it with my dear friend Brigitte, I suddenly got the idea of how to make it MY WAY! The first attempt was better but still needed something. A couple of days later, I added another ingredient and VOILÀ! It was perfect, just like I expected it to be the first time I had the dish… I’m talking about Spaghetti alla Carbonara!
It’s a classic dish but usually too dry for my liking. There’s pancetta, garlic and egg yolks which are supposed to make it creamy (…not!) and freshly ground black pepper. With a few added ingredients, this classic got a delicious new twist and I can say that now I enjoy Spaghetti alla Carbonara.
This is a very quick meal to make. While the pasta is cooking, we start cooking the pancetta. While the meat is slowly getting crispy in the skillet, we make the sauce with my added ingredients. When the spaghetti is drained, we add it to the skillet, pour in the sauce, toss, add some cheese and parsley, toss again and… done! No kidding, it’s that fast!
Now if you want to add a little “je ne sais quoi” to the dish, make the pasta from scratch. It’s a little more work but it’s so worth it! Here’s the link to make… Homemade Pasta
If you enjoy this classic Roman recipe, you should give this version a try. On the other hand, if you felt the same way that I did (too dry), this is an even better reason to make it. This Spaghetti alla Carbonara is subtly creamier with more taste… a delicious combination of flavor that really enhances this dish…
Bon Appétit!
Check out these other delicious pasta recipes…
– Zucchini Pork Penne
– Italian Stuffed Pasta Shells
– Frankie’s Macaroni Casserole
– Ultimate 8 Cheese Vegetable Lasagna
– Veggie Orzo Risotto
– Smoked Salmon Fettuccine Alfredo
and for even more International recipes, click on this link… Recipe Category • International
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Spaghetti alla Carbonara
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Ingredients
- 8 ounces (1/2 lb.) spaghetti, uncooked see Recipe
- coarse sea salt, for water
- 1 1/4 cups pancetta, cubed (substitute guanciale)
- 2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper or to taste, divided (I always use mixed peppercorns)
- 3 large free-run egg yolks, room temperature
- 1/3 cup 35% heavy cream
- 1 cup grated Grana Padano cheese (substitute Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese), divided
- 3 large cloves garlic, pressed
- 1/4 cup dry white wine such as Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay or Sauvignon
- 2 tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped tips & tricks
Directions
- In a large pot of boiling salted water, add pasta and cook according to the directions.
- Meanwhile, in a large saucepan over medium heat, add pancetta and season with freshly ground black pepper; cook until almost crisp, about 8 to 9 minutes.
- While the pork is cooking, make the sauce. In a mixing bowl, add egg yolks, heavy cream and 1/3 cup cheese; whisk until well combined and set aside.
- When the pancetta is done, reduce the heat to low and add garlic; sauté for 1 minute. Add white wine, and cook until the liquid is reduced by half, about 5 to 6 minutes.
- Add cooked & drained pasta to pancetta; toss until well mixed. Give a quick whisk to the sauce and pour it over the pasta mixture; quickly tossing until well combined otherwise it may curdle.
- Add the remaining cheese and parsley; toss until well incorporated.
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I’m going to make this! Looks so yummy!!
Thank you ☺ It’s a lovely recipe + it takes less than 30 minutes to make… bonus! Have a fabulous day Trixie ☀