Pasta Alla Carbonara

Well, I am back after a lengthy break due to lack of planning meals with enough time to write a recipe and take pictures before scarfing it down.  I've never made this Pasta Carbonara before but lately I've been craving eggs so I gave this a shot.  I added peas and chile flakes because, well...it sounded good.  Turns out it was.  I served this with an arugula and cherry tomato salad with a lemon vinagrette.  Perfect summer meal.

Ingredients:


1 pound dry spaghetti (I used thick spaghetti but you could also use fettucine)
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 ounces pancetta or slab bacon, cubed or sliced into small strips
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
1/2 to 1 tsp chile flakes
3 large eggs
1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for serving
Freshly ground black pepper (lots and lots)
1 handful fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1-3 ladles reserved pasta water

Directions:

Prepare the sauce while the pasta is cooking to ensure that the spaghetti will be hot and ready when the sauce is finished; it is very important that the pasta is hot when adding the egg mixture, so that the heat of the pasta cooks the raw eggs in the sauce.

Bring a large pot of salted water (and I do mean salted...to taste like the ocean) to a boil, add the pasta and cook for 8 to10 minutes almost tender but still firm (as they say in Italian "al dente.") Drain the pasta well, reserving 1 cup of the starchy cooking water to use in the sauce if you wish.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a deep skillet over medium flame. Add the pancetta and saute for about 3-5 minutes, until the bacon is crisp and the fat is rendered. Toss the garlic and chile flakes into the fat and saute for 1 minute to soften.  Add the peas and cook for another 2-3 minutes.  Add lots of pepper.

Add the hot, drained spaghetti to the pan and toss for 2 minutes to coat the strands in the bacon fat. Beat the eggs and Parmesan together in a mixing bowl, stirring well to prevent lumps. Remove the pan from the heat and pour the egg/cheese mixture into the pasta, whisking quickly until the eggs thicken, but do not scramble (this is done off the heat to ensure this does not happen.) Thin out the sauce with a bit of the reserved pasta water, until it reaches desired consistency. Season the carbonara with several more turns of freshly ground black pepper and taste for salt. Mound the spaghetti carbonara into warm serving bowls and garnish with chopped parsley. Pass more cheese around the table.

Easy Peasy Pasta with Parmesan and Pancetta

This is my go to pasta.  Most of the time I have what I need on hand in the pantry or the freezer.  It's also very easy to substitute what you do have on hand.  Don't have peas but have asparagus? Go for it! Don't have pancetta but have bacon? Go for it?  No cherry tomatoes...leave them out or substitute regular tomatoes or 1/4 cup canned.  You get the idea. 

Ingredients:
1/2 large onion, chopped
3 thick slices pancetta, cubed
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp butter
1 tsp olive oil
1 container cherry tomatoes, halved
3/4 c frozen peas
1/4 tsp chile flakes
10-12 basil leaves, chopped
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup parmesan
1 pkg spaghetti

The Method:
Put large pot of water on for spaghetti.  When boiling, add 2 tbsp of salt and the spaghetti.  Cook 2 minutes less than the package recommends.  The remaining cook time will be in the sauce. Save some of the pasta water to add to the sauce if necessary.
In a large skillet, cook the pancetta to golden brown.  Remove to paper towel line plate.  Add the butter, olive oil and onion to the skillet.  Cook on medium for approximately 12 minutes until slightly carmelized.  Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.  Add the wine and reduce until almost gone.  Add the cherry tomatoes, peas, chile flakes, pancetta and salt and pepper to taste.  Cook for 2-3 minutes.  Add the chicken stock and heavy cream.  Cook for 3-4 minutes.  Taste for seasoning.  Add more chile flakes, salt and pepper if necessary.  Add the spaghetti to the sauce and cook for 2-3 minutes.  Add saved pasta water by ladelfuls if the sauce seems to dry.  Add the parmesan and stir to combine.