Spaghetti Alla Carbonara For Two Recipes

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.

SPAGHETTI ALLA CARBONARA FOR TWO

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook until almost al dente (about 2 minutes less than package instructions).
• While the pasta is cooking, mix the egg, egg yolks, cheese, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Reserve.
• Heat the oil in a large skillet, over medium-high heat. Add the diced pancetta and cook until crispy and golden brown, about 5 minutes. Remove the pan from heat and reserve the pancetta with about 3 tablespoons of the rendered fat.
• When the pasta is done, drain it in a colander set over a large mixing bowl, letting the hot pasta water heat the bowl. Reserve 1 cup of the starchy water.
• Discard the water and use that bowl to toss the pasta with the pancetta, reserved fat, egg mixture and 1/2 cup pasta water. Work quickly, tossing vigorously and adding more pasta water if necessary, until the sauce is silky and the cheese has melted completely. You can add more salt and pepper if needed.
• Garnish with chopped parsley and serve with extra Parmigiano Reggiano at the table.

SPAGHETTI ALLA CARBONARA

Steps:

• 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 to a boil, add the pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until tender yet firm (as they say in Italian "al dente.") Drain the pasta well, reserving 1/2 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 minutes, until the bacon is crisp and the fat is rendered. Toss the garlic into the fat and saute for less than 1 minute to soften.
• 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 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.

CHEF JOHN'S SPAGHETTI ALLA CARBONARA

Steps:

• Cook guanciale with olive oil and 1 teaspoon ground black pepper in a Dutch oven over medium-low heat until almost crisp, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low.
• Whisk eggs, 3 tablespoons Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, 3 tablespoons Pecorino Romano cheese, and 1 teaspoon ground black pepper in a bowl. Set aside.
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook spaghetti in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until cooked through but firm to the bite, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the pasta water.
• Pour reserved pasta water and drained spaghetti into the bacon-pepper mixture; stir to combine.
• Slowly pour egg mixture into the pasta mixture; cook, stirring constantly until the egg mixture forms a thick sauce, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Stir remaining 3 tablespoons Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and 3 tablespoons Pecorino Romano cheese into the pasta mixture and serve.

SPAGHETTI CARBONARA FOR TWO

Steps:

• Cook spaghetti according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a small skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Using a slotted spoon, remove to paper towels; discard drippings. , In the same skillet, melt butter; stir in the cream, Parmesan cheese, pepper flakes, salt, pepper and bacon. Drain spaghetti; add to cream mixture and toss. Cook for 1-2 minutes or until heated through.

SPAGHETTI ALLA CARBONARA

Steps:

• Fill a large pot with 6 quarts of water and add the salt. Bring the water to a boil.
• Fry the guanciale in a skillet until crispy; do not drain the fat drippings. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, beat the whole eggs with the Pecorino Romano cheese for 1 minute. Then add the freshly ground black pepper.
• At this point your water should be boiling. Add your pasta and cook it for 8 to 9 minutes or according to the instructions on the box (or if using fresh pasta, cook for 4 to 5 minutes). When the pasta is cooked al dente (chewy and firm), drain the pasta well, add the pasta to the bowl with the mixture of eggs and cheese, mix quickly and then finally add the guanciale with all the fat drippings. Stir quickly for a few more minutes and serve in hot bowls.
• Heap the flour into a pile on a wood or marble countertop. Make a large well or crater in the center, big enough to the hold the eggs like a bowl. Break the eggs in the center and knead for about 10 minutes, pausing after 5 minutes in order to let the dough relax. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap, and let it rest in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. After the time, or you can roll out some sheets with a pasta sheet roller and cutter or cut with a knife.