Pasta Carbonara with Andrew Cotto
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My friend & author, Andrew Cotto is BACK in the Cucina with another delicious meal AND Italian adventure! His latest novel, "Cucina Romana" is out NOW and of course, we had to make the classic Roman dish, pasta carbonara! Fatty guanciale, mixed with eggs and cheese (yes Jersey peeps, it's a bacon, egg & cheese as a pasta course!). Fresh cracked black pepper represents the "carbon" for carbonara...coal miners.
The dish has a legend around it that it developed in Rome after WWII when Italian chefs snagged the bacon and eggs from American G.I.'s rations - and of course, turned it into pasta and improved it tremendously! Whether you subscribe to this theory or not, is up to you - but it makes a great story! Much like Andrew's latest novel!
In the book, a follow up to his “Cucina Tipica”, our hero Jacoby travels to Rome to conduct some business and finds another link to his ancestry. And of course, there are copious amounts of incredible food, washed down with perfect wines; and apparently an ending that leaves us open to yet a third book, which Andrew teases in the video. If you’ve been craving a vacation over the course of the last year (and really, who hasn’t!?) I’ve found these books to be the next best thing. Fun, easy to read, full of quintessential Italian characters, deliciously described food, and a satisfying story to hold you over until you can go on your own adventure. I HIGHLY recommend them!
As for the pasta? This is an easy one, but it does require some finesse. I’ll admit, the first time I tried it, I wound up with scrambled eggs. I’ve also made it too watery. Don’t be discouraged (also, the mess ups still TASTE good so…). This is one of the few pasta dishes where you do NOT transfer the pasta from the boiling water into a warmed sauce. Rather, the eggs and cheese are combined into a thick mixture and left at room temperature. The pasta is added slowly, mixing gently, letting some of the pasta water drip in, until you have a delicious, creamy coating for your pasta. There is NO cream in carbonara - so if someone tells you that, stop listening to them immediately. Finally, Andrew tops the dish with the crisped up guanciale (pork cheek, trust us) and “guilds the lily” with a small spoonful of the rendered pork fat. Top with extra cheese and cracked black pepper, and don’t be afraid to serve it for breakfast (I have!). Once you get the technique down, you’ll find this to be a quick and easy meal that you can whip anytime from simple, pantry ingredients (you CAN swap pancetta or even American bacon for the guanciale in a pinch).
I hope you guys enjoy this video, the recipe, and the book. And that you have as much fun making this for your friends and family, as Andrew and I had cooking together.
Buon Appetito!
Pasta Carbonara
Serves 4
1lb. spaghetti
6 egg yolks OR 4 whole eggs
4-6 oz. guanciale, cut into matchsticks
1 C. pecorino romano, grated
black pepper
Heat a small sauté pan over low heat. Add the guanciale. Allow the fat to render out of the meat, about 10-15 minutes. Remove the guanciale from the pan and reserve the liquid fat.
Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until almost al dente (typically 8-9 minutes for dried pasta).
While pasta is cooking, whisk cheese and eggs together in a heat proof bowl until a thick cream is created. When pasta is cooked, do not drain it, but transfer it in a small batch to the bowl with the eggs, using tongs to gently turn the pasta and coat it as you go. Continue until all the pasta is in the bowl, allowing some of the pasta water to drip in as well. You should have a smooth, creamy sauce that completely coats your pasta.
TIP: Andrew says if you end up with scrambled eggs, a little extra water should help “unscramble them”. If the sauce looks too thin, adding some more cheese can help thicken it.
Plate the pasta. Add the cooked guanciale on top and drizzle with a teaspoon of pork fat. Top with extra cheese and cracked black pepper.