Three Step Pasta alla Carbonara with Parmigiano Reggiano® cheese
Directions:
STEP 1
Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil. Once boiling add 1 tablespoon salt and let dissolve. Add the pasta to the pot to cook it, but make sure that the pasta is a little firmer than al dente. (You will be putting the pasta over heat again and you don’t want them to get mushy. Set aside about a cup of the pasta water before straining it. While pasta is cooking, brown the guanciale in a non-stick pan over medium heat. Once browned turn off heat and set aside.
STEP 2
In a stainless steel bowl whisk the yolks and about 80% of the grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese needed for the recipe. The remaining cheese will be sprinkled on the pasta right before serving.
STEP 3
Return the pan with guanciale to a burner on low heat. Add 2 tablespoon of the yolk mixture and 1 spoon of cooking water. Stir well, for about 3 minutes, turn off the burner, add the pasta directly into the pan and then add the rest of the yolk mixture stirring quickly and vigorously to combine. If it seems dry add some of the pasta water that you had set aside. Sprinkle the rest of the Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and some black pepper – and get ready to enjoy one of Italy’s most famous pastas.
MAIN
One of Italy’s most beloved dishes, Pasta alla Carbonara is a rich and decadent dish made with egg yolks, hard seasoned cheese, guanciale (gwaan·chaa·lei) and black pepper. Guanciale is an Italian cured meat product prepared from pork jowl or cheeks – whose name is derived from ‘guancia’, the Italian word for ‘cheek’.
Many traditional carbonara recipes call for Pecorino Romano cheese, but Parmigiano Reggiano is also often used, as well as a combination of the two.
Ingredients:
6 egg yolks
5 oz guanciale, cut into ½ inch pieces (bacon can work as well if you can’t find guanciale)
1lb spaghetti
½ cup Parmigiano Reggiano cheese (see HINT )
Fresh ground black pepper
Hint:
Using duck eggs for a bit more flavor and color. I suggest Parmigiano Reggiano cheese aged 24 months. Cheese that has been aged longer won’t melt as nicely.
