Carbonara recipe...
Discussion
Been trying to nail down a perfect carbonara recipe for a while now and can never get it just how I'd expect a perfect carbonara to taste... keeps coming out a bit bland. Should be really simple... Anyone care to share theirs?
I'm aware of the correct procedure (aka adding the egg/cheese mix at the end into the hot spaghetti and ensuring it doesn't scramble) but here are my concerns...
- Number of eggs and whether to use just the yolks or the whole egg
- Whether to use just pecorino or to use a pecorino/parmesan mix
- Whether to diffuse garlic cloves in the pan while cooking the pancetta
- Pancetta or bacon
I'm aware of the correct procedure (aka adding the egg/cheese mix at the end into the hot spaghetti and ensuring it doesn't scramble) but here are my concerns...
- Number of eggs and whether to use just the yolks or the whole egg
- Whether to use just pecorino or to use a pecorino/parmesan mix
- Whether to diffuse garlic cloves in the pan while cooking the pancetta
- Pancetta or bacon
My favourite cabonara recipe is one of Rick Steins:
Ingredients
400g/14oz dried spaghetti
175g/6¼oz piece smoked pancetta, rind removed
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
handful flatleaf parsley leaves, finely chopped
3 large free-range eggs, beaten
50g/1¾oz pecorino sardo maturo (mature Sardinian pecorino), finely grated
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Preparation method
1.Bring 4.5 litres/8 pints water to the boil in a large saucepan with eight teaspoons salt. Add the spaghetti and cook for nine minutes, or until al dente.
2.Meanwhile, cut the pancetta into lardons (short little strips), about 6mm/1¼in wide.
3.Heat a large, deep frying pan over a medium-high heat, add the oil and the pancetta and fry until lightly golden. Add the garlic and parsley and cook for a few seconds, then remove from the heat and set aside.
4.Drain the spaghetti well, tip into the frying pan with the pancetta, garlic and parsley, add the beaten eggs and half the grated pecorino cheese and toss together well.
5.Season to taste with a little salt and black pepper. The heat from the spaghetti will be sufficient to partly cook the egg, but still leave it moist and creamy. Take to the table and serve in warmed pasta bowls, sprinkled with the rest of the cheese.
Ingredients
400g/14oz dried spaghetti
175g/6¼oz piece smoked pancetta, rind removed
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
handful flatleaf parsley leaves, finely chopped
3 large free-range eggs, beaten
50g/1¾oz pecorino sardo maturo (mature Sardinian pecorino), finely grated
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Preparation method
1.Bring 4.5 litres/8 pints water to the boil in a large saucepan with eight teaspoons salt. Add the spaghetti and cook for nine minutes, or until al dente.
2.Meanwhile, cut the pancetta into lardons (short little strips), about 6mm/1¼in wide.
3.Heat a large, deep frying pan over a medium-high heat, add the oil and the pancetta and fry until lightly golden. Add the garlic and parsley and cook for a few seconds, then remove from the heat and set aside.
4.Drain the spaghetti well, tip into the frying pan with the pancetta, garlic and parsley, add the beaten eggs and half the grated pecorino cheese and toss together well.
5.Season to taste with a little salt and black pepper. The heat from the spaghetti will be sufficient to partly cook the egg, but still leave it moist and creamy. Take to the table and serve in warmed pasta bowls, sprinkled with the rest of the cheese.
Pretty much as above, but with the caveat that you want the best eggs (with the strongest yolk colour you can find, and I prefer smaller eggs that have a higher yolk to white ratio) and that adding a *little* cream at the end doesn't hurt. Whether you add cream or not, the end result should be creamy, but neither liquid nor sticky.
I have been pre-mixing the cheese with the eggs while waiting for the pasta and pancetta to cook, and then pouring it all in. Perhaps I should not pre-mix but add at the same time?
Also I've been adding the pancetta/oil/garlic to the pasta rather than the other way round... perhaps I'm losing flavour in the pan.
Cream!? Isn't that the non-italian way?
Also I've been adding the pancetta/oil/garlic to the pasta rather than the other way round... perhaps I'm losing flavour in the pan.
Cream!? Isn't that the non-italian way?
First of all, no parmesan, garlic, pancetta or bacon.
Pecorino Romano (as aged as possible) and Guanciale only.
I use 1 yolk per serving + 1 whole egg, i.e. for 4 people, I use 4 yolks and a whole egg.
Grate pecorino in, lots of freshly grated black pepper. Add a couple spoons of the white foamy water where the pasta is being cooked in, whisk vigorously.
I dry fry the guanciale cut in cubes or thin strips, with rosemary and black pepper. Rosemary is my twist and not part of the traditional recipe.
I then throw away most of the oil/fat released by the guanciale.
When pasta is ready, I drain it leaving a little cooking water, and pour in the bowl with the egg mix, then into the warm pan with the guanciale.
Mix well, egg should set a bit from the heat of the pan, but remain quite runny/creamy.
Final dash of pecorino and pepper.
Pecorino Romano (as aged as possible) and Guanciale only.
I use 1 yolk per serving + 1 whole egg, i.e. for 4 people, I use 4 yolks and a whole egg.
Grate pecorino in, lots of freshly grated black pepper. Add a couple spoons of the white foamy water where the pasta is being cooked in, whisk vigorously.
I dry fry the guanciale cut in cubes or thin strips, with rosemary and black pepper. Rosemary is my twist and not part of the traditional recipe.
I then throw away most of the oil/fat released by the guanciale.
When pasta is ready, I drain it leaving a little cooking water, and pour in the bowl with the egg mix, then into the warm pan with the guanciale.
Mix well, egg should set a bit from the heat of the pan, but remain quite runny/creamy.
Final dash of pecorino and pepper.
Wadeski said:
If your carbonara is coming out bland, I would up the seasoning.
Restaurants go heavy on the S&P compared to how home cooks have been trained by the healthy living brigade
And I wouldnt mix the egg and cheese.
This ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ but depends on your lardons, some are saltier than others.Restaurants go heavy on the S&P compared to how home cooks have been trained by the healthy living brigade
And I wouldnt mix the egg and cheese.
Some interesting tips here that I'll incorporate in to mine.
My tips include, frying pancetta in butter, adding white wine for a bit to the pan, and then deglazing a little bit of this into the pasta when cooked. Adds a certain flavour through the wine.
I also use double cream, but less than the recipe as I don't like it to be too runny.
Finally as has been suggested - more seasoningr than usual, this recipe generally needs a lot of seasoning to balance out the rest of it. I once saw how much a restaurant chef put in.... Eye opening!
My tips include, frying pancetta in butter, adding white wine for a bit to the pan, and then deglazing a little bit of this into the pasta when cooked. Adds a certain flavour through the wine.
I also use double cream, but less than the recipe as I don't like it to be too runny.
Finally as has been suggested - more seasoningr than usual, this recipe generally needs a lot of seasoning to balance out the rest of it. I once saw how much a restaurant chef put in.... Eye opening!
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