I had my very first taste of Spaghetti alla Carbonara when I was visiting my sister while she was studying abroad in Italy. One afternoon we were out to lunch at a little corner restaurant in Florence. I had skipped breakfast that morning and I was craving bacon and eggs (and I can get a little cranky when I'm hungry so we needed some good food, and quick). Not really understanding Italian and based on what my sister described it as, I decided to give the spaghetti alla carbonara a try. Era delizioso e molto buono! I fell in love with it instantly. It has such a complex flavor to it. The bacon adds a smoky flavor, the onion and garlic adds an earthy flavor, while the eggs add richness to it. When we got back from visiting K in Italy, I decided to try and master Spaghetti alla Carbonara. It may have taken me a few years but I think I’ve come pretty close (and my family does too)!
Ingredients:
(The recipe makes 4 good-sized servings and takes about 30-40 minutes.)
1 pound of spaghetti
8 slices of crispy bacon, diced
1 white onion, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, minced
4 large eggs
Parmesan cheese (lots and lots... you can never have too much in my sister's opinion)
Salt & Pepper
Chopped scallions or Italian parsley (or both if you're like my sister)
Directions:
In a large pot, bring water to a boil for spaghetti (always do this first because it takes the longest and you can cook the other ingredients while waiting for it to boil).
Meanwhile, in a large non-stick skillet start to cook the bacon over medium heat. Once the bacon starts to release its fat add the garlic and onions and turn the heat down to medium-low. Continue to cook until the onions become translucent.
 |
Once the water is boiling, salt the water, add a bit of olive oil and add the spaghetti. (FYI: salting the water does not prevent the spaghetti from sticking, it helps to add flavor. The best way to prevent it from sticking is to pay attention and to stir it frequently.) If you are using thin spaghetti (cappellini, which is an approximate translation for "angel hair" in Italian) it should only take about 5-7 minutes to cook. Regular spaghetti should take about 7-9 minutes to cook.
Drain the spaghetti 1-2 minutes before it's al dente and save about ½ a cup of the pasta water. (You want to take the spaghetti out while it is still a little bit under cooked because it will be cooking more in the skillet. It shouldn’t have a crunch to it any more but it should still be a little firm.)
Tip: When draining the spaghetti, be very careful! A & I almost always steam up our glasses and can't see and/or nearly give ourselves a scalding hot facial from the rising steam! Lesson: It's really hot!
 |
Drain the spaghetti carefully |
Add the spaghetti to the skillet with the bacon, garlic, and onions and begin to mix the together; add the 1/2 cup pasta water to the pan and continue stirring.
Add the chopped scallions or chopped parsley. Both ingredients will accomplish the same task of adding a fresh flavor--it's just a matter of preference.
Turn the heat off and move the pan away from the heat and let the food begin to cool (yes I know, cold food isn’t ideal but in this case it is essential that the pan temperature drops a little bit).
Now here is where it gets to be a bit tricky. It may take a few times doing this recipe before you get the hang of it.
 |
Mixing in the eggs |
In a separate bowl beat the eggs as if you were making scrambled eggs; add salt and pepper to taste.
Tip: Have the plates you are going to serve the meal on ready ahead of time because the timing of when you plate the food is essential for this dish.
Pour the eggs over the spaghetti mixture in the skillet and begin to stir right away. This is VERY important; if the pan is too hot or you wait too long to stir the eggs will begin to scramble. And don't worry about eating raw eggs because the residual heat from the pasta will cook the eggs. If you wait too long and let the eggs scramble, the texture of your sauce will not be right.
Once the eggs are mixed throughout the pasta and begin to thicken, plate the spaghetti immediately. Serve with a good helping of Parmesan cheese, sprinkle some scallions or Italian parsley on top and mangia mangia!
Note from K:
Florence was a land of tantalizing wines, foods, and desserts. When I die, I don't think I'll see the white light and make it to wherever heaven is; rather I think I'll go back to Florence and eat and drink myself silly! One of the most amazing experiences I had abroad was being able to take a class in Florence called "Pairing Italian Food & Wine" ...tell me that's not the best class ever!
Il professore Mario would cook up delicious pasta dishes, breads, pizzas, desserts, and bring 3-4 types of white wine and 3-4 types of red wine to try with the varying food of the night! It was incredible! For a meat-based pasta dish like this, I'd recommend my absolute favorite type of wine of all time... a great chianti from the hills of Tuscany surrounding Florence. It is a bold red that holds up well with almost any meat and there was a plethora of ancient Florentine families that had been making chianti forever!
One of my favorite local chianti to pair with any meat dish (or just to enjoy alone because it's that good) was a Nipozzano chianti, made by the Frescobaldi family. It would be a great compliment to the earthy, rich flavor of the spaghetti alla carbonara. I'd describe this chianti as having an almost plummy fruit flavor, with hints of citrus, flowers, and a light touch of chocolate. It is a very drinkable, medium-bodied wine with a clean finish and reasonably priced for such a great wine (about $13-$18) ...perfetto!
I hope you enjoy this recipe... it is one of my favorites.
Remember... eat what you love, love what you cook.
Mac
Allora, godetevi i vostri spaghetti alla carbonara e brindisi a Lunedi di Mac con un bicchiere di vino rosso, preferibilmente un Chianti! Buon appetito!