Pasta carbonara is one of the simplest comfort foods you can whip up in the kitchen during these cold winter months. The authentic way to cook carbonara is without using any cream to make it flavorful - you'll only need eggs and cheese as your sauce. However, if not done right, the egg will easily scramble as you mix it in the pasta. Below is a four-step way to cooking carbonara right!
Ingredients:
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
5 ounces, diced in 1/4 inch cubes, pancetta, guanciale or bacon (What's the difference? The curing process, as explained by Da Stefano.)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1/2 cup grated pecorino Romano
3 large eggs and 3 large yolks at room temperature
Salt and pepper
Procedure:
1. Cook the pasta as directed by its packaging. Make sure to set aside at least 2 cups of pasta water after you drain it later.
2. While the pasta is cooking, whisk the eggs and cheese together in a bowl and season with salt and pepper.
3. Heat the olive oil in a skillet and then add the bacon, pancetta or guanciale. Cook up to five minutes or until crispy.
4. Turn the heat down, then toss in the pasta while it's still hot. Turn off the heat. Then pour in the egg and cheese mixture as well as the pasta water. Mix well. Top with pecorino cheese and pepper.
The original recipe is from the Wall Street Journal.
A few more tips to cooking the perfect carbonara:
1. Be mindful of the heat you're using while cooking. "In general, scrambled egg in your carbonara means the heat is too high. When I make carbonara, I kill the heat entirely, remove the pan from the hot burner, and stir in the egg yolk, letting the heat in the pasta do the cooking," according to a member's tip on Reddit.
2. The best ingredients matter. Using the best eggs, cheese and pasta will help with the quality and outcome of your carbonara, according to Munchies. Bucatini noodles are highly recommended for this dish because it's chewier than regular spaghetti noodles.
3. Pasta water can rescue the dish, if ruined. If you find the eggs are a bit curdled, stirring in some of the pasta water should help smoothen it, according to the Los Angeles Times.
For more comfort food recipes, read: Easy Winter Brunch Recipes: 3 Cozy And Satisfying Meals To Prepare For Your Mid-Morning Gatherings.
