La Carbonara.
Sumptuous yet delicate, this might be one of the most pleasurable pasta dishes ever devised.
Spaghetti alla Carbonara.
Exquisitely simple, the Carbonara hinges on three core ingredients of pork cheek, egg yolk and Pecorino Romano, concluded with a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper.
Rather like the risotto, its intimate nature lends it to vast improvements on being made at home: it is at its best cooked with considerable care, from scratch, in small quantities and eaten immediately. (And as a result these are two dishes I rarely order in a restaurant.)
Whilst all agree on the Carbonara’s Roman origins, the precise historical details are disputed. The most informed account credits the improvised genius of a young chef from Bologna, who in 1944 cooking for the liberation forces in Rome cleverly and creatively deployed the most delectable of American rations in a single dish: bacon, cheese, milk and egg-yolk powder. Patriots of course maintain that the dish has its origins firmly planted in historical Italian cuisine – namely an 18th century Neapolitan dish of spaghetti combined with Pecorino and cooking water, topped with egg. Supposedly this recipe, which had a beaten egg, has not survive; a Neopolitan recipe that has survived and which I have has the egg fried and plonked on top of this cheesy marvel. Very jolly indeed.
There have been various versions over the years, not least in Italy. Citations of Spaghetti alla Carbonara occurred in film in as early as 1951, though the first recipe appeared in print in 1960 and it was only “consecrated” in the 1990s – when the nation finally agreed to agree on its canonical ingredients. Previous iterations involved pancetta instead of pork cheek, Parmesan instead or Pecorino, and the presence of any of the following: wine, garlic, onion, parsley, chili, cream, milk.
A number of variations still circulate, though should you be set on a fully sanctioned version there are several strictures you might be advised not to temper with –
Pasta: spaghetti might be the more famous choice but connoisseurs look kindly on “short” pastas such as penne, (smooth or dented) and especially rigatoni, which considered on an equal footing with spaghetti for this recipe. Pasta made with egg however will not be regarded with kindness. (Egg on egg!)
Pork: the authentic recipe calls for pork cheek (guanciale) which is sweeter and fattier than pancetta/bacon and should be melted slowly in a pan with no additional fat. The use of pancetta might not be snubbed, if circumstance so absolutely requires, though in this case the use of olive oil is recommended (not butter). The shape of the guanciale pieces is a personal matter, however rather than chewy bits of bacon we aim for translucent pieces of sweet pork, softly crunchy.
Eggs: whilst one trustworthy Italian cookbook suggest eggs used in their entirety, most agree on the use of egg yolk only. Not all approve of the addition of a dash of milk with the egg yolks; and nobody has condoned the inclusion of cream since the 80s.
Cheese: the traditional recipe calls for Pecorino Romano, which is made of sheep’s milk and generally softer in both taste and texture than Parmesan. Though the inclusion of a small amount of Parmesan, strictly as an addition, is not frowned upon.
A first-class dish for when temperatures fall low, its delightfully comforting, gentle characteristics make Carbonara ideal for a mild-ish, windy winter’s evening or a lunch on a crisp, sunny day. A slightly slurpy, delicately warming plate of Carbonara is also one of the most romantic dishes you can cook up.
Menu Suggestions.
Good combination of starters include cooked vegetable dishes (mushrooms, radicchio, fennel, leeks or broccoli) or soups (perhaps a green velloute of watercress, spinach, asparagus, peas or lettuce). Cold, meaty prawns or warm scallops also combine well in flavour, though the selection of the exact dish here is key so that your menu does not cross the threshold into a rather corny and/or 80s situation: you might however choose to pop prawns or scallops on top of the velloute. For fancier fare.
My absolute, most favourite course to serve with this is of artichokes: simple, decisive and theatrical to boot. Raw or cooked, this is definitely the most seductive option, especially prepared in the French way: steamed, served whole with a vinaigrette and eaten with your fingers.
Alternatively serve a Waldorf salad after the pasta which will go well in terms of flavour and balance but the results might feel all a bit too American (but this of course might be your thing).
To follow, a light dessert of apples is always a winner: a tarte fine aux pommes, or a tarte tatin with bitter salted caramel sauce, provided the pastry is on the thin side. A coffee mousse (perhaps served with some boozy prunes) can also work well, or chocolate mousse, though the latter would be best in a very small portion and concentrated – a sort of chocolate pot - such that you have one or two spoonfulls of the heavenliest chocolate, and no more. Or simply – and most delightfully - a couple of very ripe persimmons.
RECIPE.
The purists will of course not be tempted away from the authentic, ascetic combo of guanciale, egg yolk, Pecorino and black pepper. Served with either Spaghetti or Rigatoni.
Below is a beautiful recipe given given to me personally by one of the great masters of Italian gastronomy – Fulvio Pierangelini. It takes light liberties with a couple of embellishments, but strictly elegantly so. Happily hailing from Rome himself, these are more than welcome, for some added flair. He is mostly emphatic on two counts: the cut of your guanciale, which he likes to be paper thin like Parma ham, and the black pepper, which he likes crushed in a pestle and mortar. The results so that the guanciale is more delicate in flavour and texture, but present in every forkful, and the pepper quite potent. His unorthodox fancies include a small pinch of nutmeg, if using a small amount of milk – which you might like to do if your Pecorino is particularly pungent – and some finely chopped mint at the end, the most Roman of herbs and called “mentuccia” there. (I have also seen him mix it with a small amount of parsley too, to soften its effect, to great effect.)
For a springtime interpretation you might also like to add peas and in this instance use short pasta: a well-known incarnation of the Carbonara in Italy and referred to rather unexcitingly as simply La Carbonara con i Piselli.
Serves 2
Spaghetti, 180g
Guanciale, 50g – long strips
Pecorino Romano, 40g
Egg yolks, 2
Black pepper, good quality
Optional:
Nutmeg, a small pinch of
Whole milk, a small spoonful of
Fresh mint, chopped finely
Fresh parsley, chopped finely
Cook the guanciale in a heavy-bottomed pan on medium heat without the addition of another fat, sliced in thin strips cut into rectangles until they crisp up (this should take about 20 minutes).
Cook the spaghetti in lightly salted boiling water – ensure to cook it very al dente (approximately 2 minutes less than the cooking instructions); reserve a small amount of cooking water, scooped from the top of the pan towards the end of cooking (when/where there is more starch).
Prepare your egg yolks by adding them to a bowl and lightly with a wooden spoon mix in the milk (if using), a pinch of grated nutmeg (again if using), freshly crushed black pepper and half of your freshly grated Pecorino.
Drain the spaghetti (reserving the cooking water: good practice always) and add to the pan with the guanciale, mixing thoroughly and incorporating the fat around the pasta; add some more of the reserved cooking water if necessary. Remove off the heat.
This next bit is critical, and you will have to work quickly and attentively. (It is important to do this step off the heat so that you are not scrambling the eggs.)
Pour the egg mixture on to the pasta, and once again mix gently but thoroughly. Add the remainder of your cheese, working fast to create a creamy sauce around the pasta, adding more cooking water if necessary. (Should you find yourself without cooking water quickly boil a kettle)
Serve immediately, topped with additional coarsely ground black pepper and extra Pecorino (- this is where you would use the Parmesan, if using – not before).
Bon appetit. (As luck has it, to say “buon appetito” in Italian is not considered elegant.)
