Tuesday, June 13, 2006

Linguine Alla Carbonara

Tonight's dinner is Linguine Alla Carbonara. Something I really like to order in Italian restaurant. The extra creamy and cheesy sauce with crispy bacon bites = very fattening. Because of this reason, I have put off the recipe for some time until tonight.

Apparently, this expensive Italian pasta dish is pretty easy to put together, judging from the instruction and ingredients on the recipe. Man am I wrong! It is not as easy as I thought! My supposedly creamy Carbonara comes out a tad too dry, and is not as tasty as I remembered it. The recipe is from Martha Stewart. So it has been to be the user's error.

I guess I have to pay more attention to the instruction.....if I ever made Carbonara again. I doubt so. But on the other hand, I really want to master this dish...

Linguine Alla Carbonara

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
5 ounces bacon, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1/2pound spaghetti
1/2 cup heavy cream, plus more if needed
2 large egg yolks
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese(about 5 ounces), plus more for garnish
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Heat a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil and bacon to skillet, and cook until the bacon is browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove skillet from heat, and keep warm.

Cook spaghetti in boiling water until al dente, about 8 minutes. While spaghetti is cooking, whisk cream, egg yolks, Parmesan, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl until combined. Drain pasta, and return to saucepan. Immediately stir in egg-and-cheese mixture until well combined. Add warm bacon and fat from pan. Toss well. Thin sauce with additional cream, if necessary. Serve immediately, garnished with grated Parmesan cheese.

Serves 2.

1 comment:

  1. Anonymous2:22 PM

    Maybe mixing the cream, egg and cheese and then mixing it with the pasta made it dry.

    I tried making carbonara a few timees before. I was taught to heat the cream, adding chicken stock for taste, and then cook the cream with the cooked bacon. Then pour the cream over the cooked pasta and add in the beaten egg and cheese mixture. This was taught by my ex who was an Italian chef. Maybe you could try it?

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