Pasta alla Carbonara

**Frigga** · 08-03-2009, 06:14 PM

I got this from Mark Bittman's How To Cook Everything, and was pleasantly surprised at how tasty it is! I do not normally eat this many carbohydrates in a meal, but since it's balanced by fat and protein, this is okay to have every once in a while.

Pasta alla Carbonara
serves 4-6

1 pound pasta
2 eggs
1 cup freshly grated parmesan
4-8 ounces of diced bacon
black pepper to taste

Boil the pasta. While you're doing that, cook the bacon until it's crisp, and do not drain the grease. Get a large heatproof bowl warm by either pouring hot water in it, or placing it in a hot oven. Once it's hot, empty out the water, and add the eggs and cheese and beat well. Drain the cooked pasta and add to the eggs and cheese, and then add the bacon and collected bacon fat to the pasta and sauce. Add plenty of black pepper, taste and add salt and more pepper to taste. Serve with extra cheese at the table, and a green salad.

**Atlas** · 08-03-2009, 07:53 PM

Bongiourno, bella ragazza. I am a pasta addict. I actually eat it like 5 times a week, that's cheap, easy to cook and very tasty on different, various way of cooking them. Carbonara being my favorite too.

**Piparskeggr** · 08-03-2009, 11:05 PM

Chronne (sha-doan) - baked pasta casserole.

Ingredients; 1 pound each dry capellini, thick spaghetti and perciatelli - cook al dente per package and drain well - keep in pasta pot, 18 lg eggs - beaten, 1 c each Asiago, Romano and Parmesan cheese - finely grated, 1 1/2# pepperoni - diced (abt 1/4" pcs), 1/2 c Mozzarella - medium shred, 1/2 t black pepper - freshly cracked, Olive oil - quant suff

Preheat the oven to 350F. Lightly oil a baking pan of sufficient size (mine is 19" x 13" x 3"). Mix the grated cheeses into the beaten eggs and then add in the pepperoni; do this while the pasta is cooking. In the large boiling pot, mix the egg-cheese-pepperoni into the cooked pasta and then pour the whole mess into the baking pan. Mix the Mozzarella and black pepper ; spread this evenly over the pasta mix. Bake the pasta mix covered for 30 minutes and then uncovered for 10 - 20 minutes (until the top is fully melty and lightly browned).

I like to serve this with a steamed mix of escarole, endive, spinach and leeks - dressed with crushed garlic, olive oil and lemon juice -- lightly boiled mix of onion, turnip and carrot dressed with butter and parsley -- beef meatballs in a light marinara sauce

**Piparskeggr** · 08-03-2009, 11:09 PM

Pasta e Ceci - Farfalle and Chickpeas

Foodstuffs: 1# Farfalle bowties) - cook al dente per package and drain well, 2 c ea cooked chickpeas and stewed Plum tomatoes - diced with juice, 2 T garlic - finely minced, 1 t ea dried basil and oregano, grated Parmesan for topping

Method: combine all while warm and serve in bowls topped by cheese to taste. This is a nonsoup variant of Pasta e fagiola

Pasta e Broccoli

Foodstuffs: 1# medium pasta shells - cook al dente per package, 1# broccoli - coarsely chopped and lightly steamed until slightly wilted, 1 c sweet butter - melted, 4 T garlic - finely minced, 1 c red onion - finely diced - for topping

Method: combine all while the pasta and broccoli are warm and serve in bowls; top with onion to taste. A quick twist or two on the pepper grinder is a nice touch.

Spaghetti aglia olio - pasta with oil and garlic

Foodstuffs: 1# capellini - cook al dente per package, drain well, reserve 3 c of the starchy boil water, 1/2 c plus 3 T olive oil, 6 T garlic - finely diced, 1 T anchovy paste (optional ,-)

Method: In a small saucepan heat 3 T olive oil and sweat the garlic until lightly golden, mash in the anchovy paste and then stir in the pasta water, simmering on low to reduce by 1/3. Coat the pasta with the remaining oil and use the sauce to taste. A dash or two of red pepper flakes perks this up.