Categories
Lunch Pasta

Classic Spaghetti Carbonara with Guanciale or Pancetta

How to prepare the real Italian recipe of Traditional Roman “Spaghetti Carbonara” or Pasta with Eggs and Pancetta

The name of this traditional dish “Spaghetti Carbonara” means “Pasta made the charcoal men way”. The dish originates from Lazio area and is part of the Roman cooking tradition. You don’t need many ingredients to make a fantastic Italian pasta such as “Carbonara”. A delicious Classic Pasta often made at home for lunch in Italy.

Spaghetti used in this preparation should be very hot when dropped into the bowl. As the eggs are raw and they will cook instantaneously with the heat of the pasta, for a tasty naturally creamy sauce. You should use “Guanciale” instead of “Pancetta“, but you will find it only if you are lucky to leave in Italy!

Ingredients for 4 People

  • 150 g “Pancetta” or “Guanciale” (chopped, about 1-2cm) Pork meat similar to Bacon cut, or use bacon if “pancetta” is not available
  • 400 g Spaghetti
  • 4 Egg only yolks
  • freshly ground Black Pepper
  • 90 g freshly grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan Cheese as an alternative if you don’t like Pecorino, about 6 tablespoons
  • 2 tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil or 60gr
  • Salt, to taste

Preparation

1. Fill a large pot with cold water and add a handful or so of sea salt. Cover the pot and heat the water until it boils. Add the olive oil, diced “Pancetta” to a cold sauté pan and cook slowly over a low heat for 10 to 15 minutes or until crisp. Drop the spaghetti into the boiling salted water and cook according to package instructions, 7-9 minutes or until “al dente”, tender but still firm to the bite.

2. While the pasta cooks, combine the eggs in a plate with the Pecorino or Parmesan cheese in a bowl and beat with a whisk until completely mixed. You can also mix half Pecorino and half Parmesan cheese as a variant if you wish. Do not overcook pasta, its crucial!

3. Drain the pasta, then add the cooked crispy “pancetta”, the eggs cream just made with cheese and egg yolks. It is important not to add the eggs in the warm pan but mix them with the pasta on a plate or they will become solid. Serve right away, with additional grated cheese and black pepper as desired. Simply wonderful.

Posted by Nicoletta and Tiziana

The Real Italian Food. Buon Appetito!

Spaghetti Carbonara

Categories
Gluten free Healthy Rice Vegetarian

Healthy Pumpkin Rice or Riso alla Zucca

 

How to prepare the real Italian recipe of the Traditional Pumpkin “Risotto”

The pumpkin risotto is a traditional dish in Northern Italy, in particular, is very popular in Lombardia. Mantua has a fine quality of pumpkin. For this traditional recipe there are many variants, particularly as regards the firing of the pumpkin itself, we propose the recipe that seems to be the closest to the traditional.

Ingredients for 6 people

  • 500 grams of Pumpkin
  • 250 grams of Rice
  • 100 g Butter
  • 1 Onion
  • 1 sprig of Sage
  • 5 tablespoons of grated Parmesan Cheese
  • 1 liter of Vegetable Stock
  • Salt and Black Pepper

Preparation

1. Clean the pumpkin from the peel and the seeds inside filaments and then the wash and cut into cubes.

2. In a saucepan, melt the butter with onion, peeled and chopped and the fresh sage washed. Then you can add the rice to the pan and toast it, so that the starch remains sealed in the beans themselves.

3. Then, add the diced pumpkin and have them cook with the rice, mix continuously. Gradually add the hot vegetable stock and do not forget to mix. Let it cook over medium heat for about twenty minutes until the liquid is absorbed almost completely.

4. Towards the end of cooking, you can add the tablespoons of Parmesan cheese and another knob of butter. Serve the rice wave, nice and soft and warm.

Posted by Nicoletta and Tiziana

The Real Italian Food. Buon Appetito!

Rice dish with pumpkin, risotto on the plate

 

 

Categories
Dinner Lunch Main Pasta

Traditional Pasta Amatriciana with Pancetta and Tomato

How to prepare the real Italian recipe of “the Perfect  Bucatini Or Mezzemaniche all’ Amatriciana”

The real “amatriciana alla romana”, is a unique and traditional recipe. Originating from the town of Amatrice (in the mountainous Province of Rieti in Lazio area), the Amatriciana is one of the most well-known pasta sauces in Roman and Italian cuisine. While bacon comes from the sides or belly of the pig, “guanciale” or “pancetta” is the cured pork jowl. Onion is not preferred in Amatrice, but is shown in the classical handbooks of Roman cuisine.

Ingredients for 4 people

  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 2 tablespoons or more as preferred
  • 300 gr of peeled Tomatoes better if fresh
  • 400 grams of Pasta type Bucatini or Mezzemaniche
  • 150 grams of diced “Pancetta” or “Guanciale” (similar to Bacon)
  • Salt, Black Pepper as you prefer
  • 80 grams of Pecorino cheese or Parmesan cheese

Preparation

1. In a casserole combine the oil and the “pancetta”, gently fry so that the “pancetta” becomes brown and crunchy. Once done drain the “pancetta” and place it in a pot.

2. Add the tomatoes in the boiling oil, add salt and pepper and cook for about 20 minutes. Once cooked add the “pancetta” or pork bacon sliced.

3. Drain the pasta, add it to the pot and stir-fry for about 1-2 minutes mixing as desired and sprinkle with Parmesan or Pecorino cheese to serve. It is important not to overcook the pasta that should be always “al dente”.

Posted by Nicoletta and Tiziana

The Real Italian Food. Buon Appetito!

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