Thursday, April 14, 2011

Spaghetti alla Carbonara - the real deal

As many of my friends would know, I can get quite obsessive when it comes to food and wine and once a certain dish gets in my mind, I can't get it off until I've had it several times over. This time its Carbonara. I travel quite of then to Italy and I'm lucky enough to get to try the best pasta dishes while I'm there. My favorites are the 'simple' ones, like Carbonara, Bottarga, Cacio e Pepe, etc...I dont like creamy pastas and neither the tomato based ones, with some exceptions like the Bucatini All 'Amatriciana and a few others.


My disappointment comes when I've been to several Italian Restaurants in Manila and none of them serve authentic Carbonara (egg based and not cream based). So I decided to just make my own. I took it one step further by ordering the base ingredients from Italy. The basic and original Carbonara is made with Spaghetti, Pecorino Romano Cheese and Guanciale (cured Pork Jowl) and Egg. Basically, you cook the bacon, toss the pasta in the pan. Once warm, you toss the pasta in a big bowl of raw egg (ideally one whole egg and one extra yolk) mixed with the cheese, salt and pepper. Give it a couple of quick turns and voila! Carbonara!!

What you have is the most delicious, creamy tasting pasta, mixed with the strong nutty flavors of the Pecorino Cheese and Bacon fat. Really, I could eat this everyday and not get tired of it. I wanted to pair this with wine or Beer but since it was a quick lunch at home while I was alone, I decided not to. Will try this next time with a Pinot Grigio maybe or a light Ale.

10 comments:

Noel said...

...it was a quick lunch at home while I was alone....

Swapang.


N

Manila Girl said...

Wow, I really wish I could cook up something like that! Carbonara is one of the very few dishes in my embarrassing food repertoire.. but please don't shoot me, I do it the instant way, with cream of mushroom soup and cream. I hope I can get both the time and determination to whip up the real dish soon!

Miguel said...

Hahah Noel!!

Miguel said...

Manila girl it's super easy one of the easiest pasta dishes to make :)

chiara said...

Excited to eat this today! :)

ChichaJo said...

Truly better than anything you will get in the restaurants here! I can't wait to make again with the guanciale!!!

Miguel said...

@ Chiara - sorry will do it next time you come to the house.

@ Jo - yes its really good. Please let me know how it comes on when you do it with Guanciale

thebluefrog said...

wow , perfect! this is the real carbonara---so simple yet so good! a friend who is from Italy showed me how and this is it!! :) Simple yet delicious :)

iFoodTrip said...

I've been eating carbonara for 2 straight nights because of this post. With the absence of Guanciale and pecorino romano, I substitute with pancetta and a good parmesan. I put a little cream (shoot me!), just a little like a teaspoon to a yolk, to add some creaminess to the yolk. It is also essential to use organic eggs because the yolk tastes so much richer. I also garnish with chopped flat parsley. I paired it with a cerveza negra and it was very good. I wish somebody regularly imports guaciale in Manila.

Miguel said...

haha now that you said it I think I will make carbonara today for lunch hahaha...hmm cerveza negra is an interesting pairing I will try that also.

I dont think anyone imports guanciale but next time I go to Italy in July I can bring you some