In my recent Popular Searches entry, I demoaned the fact that this blog didn't have a carbonara recipe. Readers search for it here all the time, for some reason. I'd never made a proper version of the recipe before.
So let's do it! Carbonara for the people!
If you're unfamiliar with [insert long pasta of choice] alla carbonara, it's pasta coated with delicious things you're not supposed to eat: bacon fat, eggs, and cheese...and it's studded with bacon pieces.
Once again, The New Best Recipe has shown me how to make something right the first time. Actually, the above bowl of pasta is the result of teamwork; Jeff was on bacon detail, I worked on the egg/cheese component, and Melissa (who stopped by for lunch) told us about carbonara's origin story. Prepare to dirty four bowls and pans in service of this recipe, three of them big, plus a colander. That's just the way it goes if you want to be bad.
How can you resist? Succumb to the carbonara.
INGREDIENTS
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 8 oz bacon (about 8 slices), slices halved lengthwise, then cut crosswise into 1/4-inch pieces <--I could only manage 1/2-inch pieces; we really need to get our knives sharpened.
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 3 large eggs
- 1 3/4 ounces Parmesan cheese, freshly grated (3/4 cup)
- 1/2 ounce Pecorino Romano cheese, frshly grated (1/4 cup)
- 3 small garlic cloves, minced or pressed through a garlic press
- 1 pound spaghetti
- salt
- ground black pepper
DIRECTIONS
Bring 4 quarts of water to a rolling boil in a large pot.
While the water is heating, heat the oil in a large skilet over medium heat until shimmering but not smoking. Add the bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned and crisp, about 8 minutes. Add the wine and simmer until the alcohol has cooked off and the wine is slightly reduced, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and cover to keep warm.
Beat the eggs, cheeses, and garlic together with a fork in a small bowl, set aside. (I used a whisk.)
When the water comes to a boil, add 1 tablespoon of table salt to the pasta and stir to separate the noodles. Cook until al dente; reserve 1/3 cup pasta water and drain the pasta for about 5 seconds, leaving the pasta slightly wet.
Transfer the pasta to a warm serving bowl; if the pasta appears dry, add some of the reserved pasta cooking water and toss to moisten. Immediately pour the egg mixture over the hot pasta and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon sea salt flakes or 3/4 teaspoon table salt; toss well to combine.
Pour the bacon misture over the pasta, season generously with black pepper, and toss well to combine. You could also add pasta water at this point if necessary (it was for us). Serve immediately.
This makes 4 mega servings (or 6 normal ones, OR 3 normal ones and 4-5 snacks). It's best when eaten immediately. If you refrigerate the spaghetti and microwave it later, it will be dry. You'll have no problem choking it down, but it won't be the same. So if it's just you and one or two other people, you might want to cut this recipe in half.
That looks like a perfect summer day! Wow! All that food is amazing. I could never pull that off in a million years, it's a work of art to be able to create meals like that! (I would have stopped at the carryout on the way to the picnic place) Your photography is really nice!
Posted by: katherine | July 09, 2011 at 07:32 AM
Yum K. I ordered this at a popular italian restaurant recently. It was disappointingly SALTY. Mine is better as I'm sure yours is!
Posted by: Tobin | July 12, 2011 at 07:46 PM