House empty? Nothing in the fridge but an egg, some bacon and a load of parmesan nubs? Pasta? Ugh…
But what if I told you that in that bare kitchen of yours lay the potential for creating the greatest Italian dish that you’ll wow your friends and family with?
The meal I’m referring to, is Carbonara. The most beloved, and abused pasta dish, of all time. This video will show you how to create this cultural masterpiece, with no mushrooms nor a blob of cream in sight.
Read on for the full recipe and ingredients.
These are measurements per serving (think 1 egg per person) so scale up accordingly.
Prepare your meat
Melt some butter in a frying pan until foaming.
- 1 tbsp butter
Add your pancetta to the pan and fry on a low heat until meat is seared fat has rendered out. (5 minutes)
Any cured meat will do here, however I prefer the Pancetta for the different, more authentic flavour.
- 50g Pancetta
At this point, set the pan aside, off the heat. This allows it to cool slightly so that our eggs don’t scramble, only thicken, later on when added.
Cooking the pasta
Put your pasta in a pot of boiling water and allow to cook ( 4 minutes fresh pasta, 10 minutes dry pasta )
- 50g Pasta
Whilst the pasta boils, mix the eggs, grated hard cheeses, and black pepper in a bowl.
- 1 egg
- 25g Parmigiano Reggiano
- 25g Grana Padano
- Pinch of Black Pepper
When the pasta’s ready
Transfer the pasta from the water to the pacetta pan, along with some pasta water
- 1-2 tbsp pasta water
Pour the egg mixture into the pan with the meat and pasta and immediately mix everything together. ( 1-2 minutes)
Plate the carbonara once the cheese has melted and the egg has thickened to create a thick, satiny sauce.
Resist the temptation to move the carbonara back onto the heat. Good carbonara is defined by a glossy, smooth sauce, which means no scrambled eggs! The eggs should therefore only be allowed to coagulate (not cook) using the residual heat from the pasta, fat and cooked meat.
This does not make the dish unsafe however as eggs with a Lion stamp in the UK indicate these eggs are virtually salmonella free and thus are safe to eat under any amount of cooking.
That[s all there is to it. Season generously with salt and pepper and enjoy one of the simplest, most luxurious meals you can have…all from a cleared out fridge.
More to see
If you’ve had a taste for the Mediterranean, take a look at our other Italian treat, Pesto Pasta. Or, if you’re ready to dive in at the deep end, have a look at our Fresh Pasta post for another how-to video on making your own fresh pasta, from scratch!
