Carbonara Beans Recipes

ULTIMATE SPAGHETTI CARBONARA RECIPE

Steps:

• Put a large saucepan of water on to boil.
• Finely chop the 100g pancetta, having first removed any rind. Finely grate 50g pecorino cheese and 50g parmesan and mix them together.
• Beat the 3 large eggs in a medium bowl and season with a little freshly grated black pepper. Set everything aside.
• Add 1 tsp salt to the boiling water, add 350g spaghetti and when the water comes back to the boil, cook at a constant simmer, covered, for 10 minutes or until al dente (just cooked).
• Squash 2 peeled plump garlic cloves with the blade of a knife, just to bruise it.
• While the spaghetti is cooking, fry the pancetta with the garlic. Drop 50g unsalted butter into a large frying pan or wok and, as soon as the butter has melted, tip in the pancetta and garlic.
• Leave to cook on a medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring often, until the pancetta is golden and crisp. The garlic has now imparted its flavour, so take it out with a slotted spoon and discard.
• Keep the heat under the pancetta on low. When the pasta is ready, lift it from the water with a pasta fork or tongs and put it in the frying pan with the pancetta. Don't worry if a little water drops in the pan as well (you want this to happen) and don't throw the pasta water away yet.
• Mix most of the cheese in with the eggs, keeping a small handful back for sprinkling over later.
• Take the pan of spaghetti and pancetta off the heat. Now quickly pour in the eggs and cheese. Using the tongs or a long fork, lift up the spaghetti so it mixes easily with the egg mixture, which thickens but doesn't scramble, and everything is coated.
• Add extra pasta cooking water to keep it saucy (several tablespoons should do it). You don't want it wet, just moist. Season with a little salt, if needed.
• Use a long-pronged fork to twist the pasta on to the serving plate or bowl. Serve immediately with a little sprinkling of the remaining cheese and a grating of black pepper. If the dish does get a little dry before serving, splash in some more hot pasta water and the glossy sauciness will be revived.

EASY CARBONARA

Steps:

• Cook the pasta in a pan of boiling salted water according to the packet instructions.
• Slice the bacon and place in a non-stick frying pan on a medium heat with half a tablespoon of olive oil and a really good pinch of black pepper. Leave it to get super-golden and crispy, tossing occasionally, then turn off the heat.
• Meanwhile, beat the eggs in a bowl, then finely grate in the Parmesan and mix well.
• Use tongs to transfer your pasta straight into the pan and toss with the bacon.
• Pour the Parmesan eggs into the pan, and keep everything moving, loosening with splashes of the pasta cooking water until you have a silky sauce. Make sure the pan isn't too hot otherwise the eggs will scramble.
• Plate up the pasta, and finish with an extra grating of Parmesan.

PAPPARDELLE BROAD BEAN CARBONARA

Steps:

• Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. While the water boils, heat a frying pan and sizzle the pancetta for 8 mins until crisp, then throw the broad beans into the pan with the pancetta fat. In a small bowl, beat the egg yolks with the cream and mustard, then season with lots of black pepper.
• Cook the pasta following pack instructions. Drain the pasta, saving some of the water, and toss through the pancetta in the frying pan. Tip in the egg and cream mix, and stir to coat, adding a splash of the reserved water, if needed. Toss half of the grated Parmesan through, so the sauce clings to the pasta, then scatter with the remaining Parmesan.

SPAGHETTI ALLA CARBONARA: THE TRADITIONAL ITALIAN RECIPE

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat; add guanciale (see Cook's Note). Cook, turning occasionally, until evenly browned and crispy, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and drain on paper towels.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook spaghetti in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until tender yet firm to the bite, about 9 minutes. Drain and return to the pot. Let cool, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes.
• Whisk eggs, half of the Pecorino Romano cheese, and some black pepper in a bowl until smooth and creamy. Pour egg mixture over pasta, stirring quickly, until creamy and slightly cooled. Stir in guanciale. Top with remaining Pecorino Romano cheese and more black pepper.

CARBONARA BEANS

Steps:

• Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Add the beans, cover and let cook until the beans are just heated through, about 2 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the beans sit in the hot water while the bacon cooks (you want the beans to be very hot when adding to the egg mixture). Stir the egg yolks and Parmesan in a medium bowl until no lumps remain; set aside.
• Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp, 7 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until softened and very fragrant, about 1 minute. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the rendered bacon fat and return the skillet to the stovetop. Reserve 1 cup of the bean water, drain the beans and then add them to the skillet. Cook, stirring constantly, to coat with the bacon fat, about 1 minute.
• Ladle 1/2 cup of the reserved bean water into the egg mixture, whisking constantly so the eggs do not cook but are heated. Pour into the skillet and cook, stirring constantly, until the cheese is melted, the sauce begins to thicken and the beans are evenly coated, about 1 minute (if the beans look dry, add more bean water, 2 tablespoons at a time, until the desired consistency has been reached). Fold in the parsley and season with a generous amount of pepper. Transfer to a serving bowl and sprinkle with more Parmesan and parsley.