a carbonated recipe

[madbaker]

This week's Resolution Recipe: Pasta Carbonara

This recipe's name comes from "the fact that the meat was first cooked over charcoal in the old days." Interestingly enough (at least to me), there are late 16th century recipes for "carbanadoes of beef" that have the same derivation.

1/4 lb pancetta, minced
4 oz butter (I used about 1 T olive oil instead... there was additional pig grease from the pancetta)
1 cup milk (I used nonfat - I suspect that full milk, or even cream, would work better.)
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1 lb pasta (I used fettucine)
2 eggs, whipped
1/3 cup fresh-grated Parmesan
salt and pepper

Cook pancetta in butter until clear. (And schedule a triple bypass.) Heat the milk in a small saucepan, and add the pancetta and butter. Add the vinegar, which will turn the milk to cheese. Simmer for 15 minutes, until the sauce cooks smooth.

Boil pasta to al dente; drain and return to the pan. Immediately throw in the eggs, the pancetta sauce, and the cheese. Salt and pepper to taste, toss, and serve.

What worked: It was tasty enough.

What didn't: It wasn't particularly memorable. Garlic would have helped, for a start.

Will I make it again? Probably not. If I want a heart-attack-on-a-plate pasta dish, I'll make Alfredo sauce.

bonacorsi and I went to the sale at Britex (made it out without breaking the budget) and had lunch at Plouf, since it was a nice enough day to sit outside and enjoy the bistro atmosphere. Good mussels as usual, even if they gave me the wrong dish (Mariniere instead of Provencale - garlic and lemon broth instead of tomato).

What I'm reading: Elizabeth Moon, Marque and Reprisal

Comments

[goldenstag.livejournal.com]

If I recall properly (and I might not) the last Carbonara I had in a restaurant had peas in it, which added some flavor and texture, if nothing else. I like carbonara, but have never looked at a recipe <g> May be I should check the one in The Silver Spoon if there is one, and see if it's as heart-clogging as the one you used.