Pasta alla Carbonara

Pasta alla Carbonara1

My husband and I were lucky enough to spend some time in Italy on our honeymoon.  We got to see the Colosseum in Rome, stayed in a 16th century private villa with an olive grove in Florence, toured Pompeii, rode on a Gondola with a singing Gondolier in Venice and even got a glimpse of that leaning tower as we passed through Pisa on a train ride.  We loved every moment of it… Did some shopping, site seeing and I even got in some cooking in that villa!  But, the food.  The food in Italy was amazing.

Each region offered up something new and delicious.  Pizza in Naples, Lasagna in Florence, Salami in Genoa.  I even made a red sauce that I paired with some fresh pasta, yum.  All of which was paired with a red wine… it had no name, just red, which was perfect.  My husband, however, ordered the same dish everywhere we went… Spaghetti alla Carbonara.  Sure, he would always try a bite of whatever I ordered, but he just couldn’t get enough of the Carbonara.

So, when we returned stateside, I had to learn how to make it.  I discovered there are lots of variations to the famed Italian dish… But, the basics are all the same. There is cheese, egg, fresh herbs and bacon. I will try to explain some of the variations throughout the recipe guide below, but if you see something you like more or less, then add more or less of it!  Make it your own or follow my recipe, either way it will be a quick, delicious and satisfying meal your family is sure to ask for again and again!

This dish is all about the preparation.  It is very quick and easy to put together, but can be screwed up royally if your ingredients are not prepped and ready to go when they need to be.  Timing is everything!  Follow these steps and you will be eating this delectable plate of pasta in under 20 minutes!

 

bacon

First start off with bacon or pancetta. (Pancetta is uncured Italian bacon.) Today, I had bacon on hand, so that’s what I used. The important thing to remember is that the bacon should not have any sort of flavoring. Try to avoid ‘applewood smoked’ or ‘maple’. A nice smoked or uncured bacon is fine here. Fry it up to the style you like your bacon. We like crispy, but not burned in my family.

bacon2

Drain bacon. I like to set aside about 2 pieces per person to be served. I hide the bacon at this point so it is not confiscated by passers-by! Reserved the rendered bacon fat in the pan.

boil pasta

Next, you will want to set a pot of water to boil. While the water is coming to a boil, you should have enough time to prepare the rest of your ingredients. Once the water comes to a boil you can add in the pasta (we will get to which variety of pasta in a minute). Cook to the package instructions or a minute less if you like it aldente.

cracked eggs

Crack a couple of eggs in a bowl large enough to include not only the eggs, but the parmesan cheese.

scrambled eggs

Scramble the eggs. Set aside.

shredded parm2

Shred up the parmesan. Some people like to use Parmigiano-Reggiano, and hey, if you have it, use it… I happened to have Parmesan at my disposal. The two are similar although the Parmesano Regiano is a higher grade and more traditional. Also, some like to use Pecorino cheese here as well… I say, use whatever you have on hand and whichever you like. Any hard, salty, italian cheese will do just fine.

egg and parm

Add the parmesan into the scrambled egg you have set aside.

parsley

Now onto the parsley. This is Italian Flat Leaf Parsley. It is not the same as the curly variety you may see garnishing buffet tables across the country. This parsley has a distinct flavor and adds a great pop of freshness to the dish, please don’t skip this, It’s like a buck at the grocery store fresh. note: Do not confuse this with Cilantro although they are similar in appearance, they have two totally different flavors.

chopped parsley

Chop up about a cup of parsley, set aside.

chopped bacon

Now chop up your bacon. Set aside.

fetuccini

Now let’s talk about your pasta. After all that chopping, your water is probably boiling, so it’s time to drop the pasta. (Don’t forget to salt the water! – Like the sea… I typically use about 3T. kosher salt for 6 qts of water) But, I digress… you can really use any type of pasta you like. This dish is traditionally made with spaghetti. I have here Fetuccini Rigata. The Rigata is denoting the ridges that are on this pasta. I normally like to get Spaghetti Rigata or Rigati… But the grocery store didn’t have it, so I got the Fetuccini Rigata this time. I like the ridges because it holds on to the sauce better, but if you just have plain ole spaghetti, use it! (My kids like this with Angel Hair, so sometimes I do that for them too)

all ingredients

OK… So, after reading that last paragraph on the pasta, your pasta is probably almost ready to come out of the water. Let’s make sure you have everything you need because once the pasta comes out, it’s go time! So, in addition to the scrambled eggs with parmesan, chopped bacon and chopped parsley, you will need some kosher salt, fresh cracked black pepper and about a cup of frozen peas.

add pasta

Once the pasta is done… Be sure your reserved bacon fat is still warm, if not turn it on medium. Then, drain the pasta and coat all the noodles in fat. Just wiggle it around a bit and stir.

add egg

Now, this is important. While the pasta is piping hot, pour the egg and parmesan mixture over it and have a pasta tool at the ready to very quickly stir it in. Your goal here is not to end up with scrambled eggs… you want to coat the pasta with the egg mixture just like you did with the rendered bacon fat. This must be done quickly.

add peas

Again, while it is all still hot, quickly add in the peas and the parsley and stir. The heat from the pasta will be enough to cook the frozen peas.

mixed pasta

Add in the bacon and stir again… Now drizzle with some olive oil, salt and pepper to taste. Please taste this before plating it.

Pasta alla Carbonara2

Shred some additional parmesan atop the pasta and add just a touch more of the fresh parsley and enjoy!

 

Pasta Carbonara Recipe:

(serves 6-8)

1 lb. dry pasta, spaghetti, fettuccine, Angel Hair etc.

6 qts. water with 3 T. kosher salt

1/2 lb. bacon or pancetta, fried, chopped, rendered fat reserved

3 eggs, scrambled

1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped

1/2 cup shredded parmesan

1 cup frozen peas

salt and pepper to taste

Extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

Prepare all ingredients in recipe.  Boil pasta.  Add drained pasta to the rendered bacon fat, coating pasta.  Add parmesan to the scrambled eggs, quickly stir into hot pasta.  Add in parsley and peas.  Add in bacon.  Drizzle with olive oil.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Shred additional parmesan over the top with some additional chopped parsley.  Enjoy!

 

 

 

Chouriço & Peas (Ervilhas com Chouriço)

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My father migrated to the United States from St. Michael, Portugal in 1966 when he was just 11 years old.  His family, two parents, 7 sisters and a brother couldn’t all come together at the time, although  they eventually all made it through.  He has told me time and time again the story of the long journey that took them first to family who lived in Canada before settling in their final destination of Fall River, Massachusetts.  His most vivid memory of that trip is the first meal he ate with his Portuguese-Canadian family as they arrived and it was “Ervilhas com Chouriço” – Chourico and Peas.

I have often tried to imagine what it must have been like for my adolescent father and the thousands of other children to include my mother (age 9) who emigrated here in the 1960’s from Portugal.  They came to America, with their families, in search of a new life – a better life for their children.  They left behind family and friends and everything they knew.  I try to imagine, at the tender age of 11, trying to learn a new language. I imagine entering a school where everyone including all my teachers can not communicate with me.  To learn a new culture and a new way of doing just about everything.   What becomes vivid to me is being scared, excited, confused and very dependent on anything familiar I might come upon.  So, nearly 50 years later, my father recalls his family in Canada serving him and his siblings and parents “Ervilhas com Chouriço” a Portuguese comfort food.  Funny how food has a way of comforting and connecting people.

Here is my version of “Ervilhas com Chouriço”:

onions

Start out by chopping onions. For this recipe, I like to quarter and then slice.

chopped_onions

Add onions to a pot with a couple of tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat, saute.

chourico

This is Portuguese Chouriço. It is a bit different from its cousins, Spanish and Mexican Chorizo. It comes in two varieties, hot and mild. (If you only have chorizo available in your area, that is a fine substitute)

 

sliced chourico

Slice chouriço fairly thinly. I like to go about 1/8″, if you like it thicker, be my guest. But, this recipe calls for one link of chouriço, so slicing thinly ensures everyone gets plenty in their portion.

garlic

Mince up about a clove or two of garlic.

chourico and onions

Add garlic and chouriço to your pot and continue to saute over medium heat.

peas

Add 2 lbs. frozen peas. I use frozen peas because we are not quite in the season for fresh peas and I find frozen peas to be far superior to canned. If you have fresh peas available, by all means use them.

beer

Add in one can of beer. (An ale is best for this recipe, whatever you have in the fridge or left over from your last party) If you prefer not to use alcohol or are on a gluten-free diet, just add in about 16 oz of chicken stock.

pepper

Pepper! This has to be my favorite Portuguese ingredient. Ground Portuguese red pepper… My family grinds our own pepper each year and preserve it to use all year long. Our pepper is not terribly spicy because we remove most of the seeds and inner flesh before grinding, so be careful, know what you are using.

all spice

Portugese all spice. Please don’t be confused by the allspice you put in your pies at Thanksgiving… This is not that. This is paprika based and has a bit of turmeric some orange peel and some mystery spice. If you don’t have this available, just use a run of the mill paprika. (Adding a smoked paprika will change the flavor of the dish, if you like that, go for it, but be aware, this all spice is not smokey)

tomato sauce

1/2 cup of plain tomato sauce.

pot2

Add in the sauce, pepper and spice along with a pinch of salt, stir. Continue cooking over medium heat.

pot3

Turn down heat to a medium/low. Stir periodically and allow to cook for about 15-20 mins.

egg in pot

Last step… gently add in whole cracked eggs one at a time and nestle them in their own little spots in the pot. I like to give everyone an egg. So I put as many eggs as people I plan to feed.

mainplate1_edited-1

And here is your completed Chouriço & Peas dish. Enjoy!

Chouriço & Peas recipe:

(serves 4-6)

1/2 lb. Hot Chouriço, sliced

2 lbs. frozen (or fresh) peas

1 medium yellow onion, quartered and sliced

1 T. ground red pepper

1/2 cup tomato sauce

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 can beer

2-3 T. olive oil

1/2 t. Portuguese all spice

4-6 eggs

kosher salt to taste

Directions:

In a large pot saute onions in olive oil over medium heat.  Add in chouriço and garlic, saute.  Add in fresh or frozen peas, mix and then immediately add in beer, tomato sauce, pepper, all spice and salt.  Bring to a boil and turn down heat to medium low.  Cook for 15-20 mins.  Add in eggs one at a time.  Cook 5-6 mins.  Enjoy!

note: For gluten-free preparation, substitute beer with chicken stock or a gluten-free beer.