Spaghetti Carbonara

                     Spaghetti Carbonara

So, here is the first italian influenced dish. Spaghetti Carbonara is a quick and easy dish, made 
all over Italy. We were in Lombardy, Tuscany and Lazio and everywhere we found that dish on 
the menu. 
If you want to do it completely authentic and you are able to find Guangiale, please use that. Unfortunately, I could't find it anywhere here in the states. It's cured pork cheek. You can substitute with Pancetta. 

We also learned that Pasta dishes are "Primi Piatti", means basically a second Appetizer. 
The portions are small and not filling. Also, Pasta is not served with meat like chicken. Chicken or meat dishes are "Secondi Piatti", means main dishes. 


This is what you need:

- 5 Egg yolks

- 2-3 cups of shredded Romano cheese or Peccorino Romano (no Parmigiano) 

- Pepper

- 3 slices of Guangiale or 3/4 of a pack of Pancetta 

- 1/2 lbs Spaghetti


This is how you do it:

Set up the water for the Spaghetti like always. Cook Spaghetti 9 -10 min., slightly under "al dente". Mix the egg yolks with the cheese until its a thick
paste.

Cut the Guangiale into small pieces (or use the Pancetta) and fry it in a pan until its nice and crisp. If you use Pancetta, I used Bacon fat I keep when I make breakfast bacon. But you can use a bit pork lard since the Pancetta doesn't has much fat to release. The Guangiale has plenty fat what would now
melt and you can use for the sauce.

When the Pancetta is nice and crisp, remove from the pan but keep the fat inside. Now add to this fat drippings your cooked pasta. DO NOT TOSS THE WATER!!!!! You need it now. 
Stir the Spaghetti within the fat. Now add 1 big ladle full of the Pasta water to the Spaghetti. Stir well and wait a bit until it starts thicken. Then add another ladle full. Repeat around 5 times until you have already a little thickened sauce. 

Now add the yolk-cheese mix and stir quick so you don't get scrambled eggs. The sauce will thicken even more now and get a nice yellow color. Add another 1-2 ladle full of Pasta Water until you get a consistence you like. It shouldn't be too much sauce and too runny. Nice, thick. 

Now add back the Pancetta and pepper. Try to find out, if you might need a bit salt. Usually you don't since the Pancetta is salty and so is the Pasta Water. 

If you have left overs in your pan and after a while they start to thicken a lot, just add a bit more Pasta Water. 

Enjoy and Guten Appetit