Tag: black pepper
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Spaghetti Carbonara With Cream
This rich creamy spaghetti carbonara will not win any health awards but jeapers it is tasty. 🙂
It also isn’t particularly authentic due to the addition of cream. I love the more traditional egg only version too (Spaghetti Carbonara) but this one is my go to comfort food pasta dish.
I make it in large batches as it freezes really well. Remember to use a low power setting on the microwave though when reheating.
You will be:
- Preparing everything
- Cooking the pasta
- Cooking the bacon and garlic
- Bringing it all together
- Serving
You will need:
- Ingredients:
- 6 to 9 rashers shortcut bacon
- 500g dried pasta
- 100g Parmigiano-Reggiano
- 200ml double cream (called heavy cream in other countries)
- 2 eggs
- 2 garlic cloves
- freshly cracked black pepper to taste
- a sprinkle or two of ground nutmeg
- a handful of fresh basil leaves
- half a handful of fresh oregano leaves
- a generous slug of olive oil
- table salt for the pasta water to taste
- Equipment:
- a long sharp knife
- a chopping board
- a whisk or fork for the eggs
- a fry pan
- a large pan to cook the pasta
Preparing everything
- Chop the 6 to 9 rashers of bacon (shortcut bacon is pretty lean but if you are using other types try remove most of the fat and rind if you like).
- Finely grate the 100g of parmigiano-reggiano (you can use parmesan but I recommend you try the real deal).
- Roughly chop the handfuls of basil and oregano leaves.
- Peel and finely dice the 2 garlic cloves.
- Whisk the 2 eggs.
- Fold the whisked eggs into the 200ml of double cream.
Cooking the pasta
- Put a large pot of water on the boil.
- Add a slug of olive oil and a good dash of salt to the water.
- Cook the pasta al dente while you do the next part.
Cooking the bacon and garlic
Throw a slug of olive oil into a fry pan along with the 2 sliced garlic cloves and cook the 6 rashers of chopped bacon.
Bringing it all together
- Drain the pasta but keep some of the water to adjust the amount of liquid in the finished dish.
- Add the pasta to the fry pan and on very low heat gently mix everything.
- Fold in the egg/cream mix, cheese, oregano, basil and some of the reserved pasta water until you get the consistency you like.
Serving
Serve directly with a large crusty garlic bread in the center of the table. It is great to watch your family and friends literally breaking bread with you.
Have cracked black pepper and extra cheese available of course. 🙂
A wine site I like, winefolly.com, suggests full bodied white wines or light bodied reds.
Enjoy,
PK
Here are some more Italian food and pasta recipe posts:
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PK’s Chicken Crown Roast With Bacon
I stuffed this chicken crown joint with bacon, sage, thyme, key lime peel and onion. The skin was rubbed in olive oil, cracked black pepper and salt.
I roasted it (~ 1 hour: fan forced oven: 200C) in an upright position to let the stuffing drip and infuse through the roast as it cooked.
Enjoy,
PK
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Welchy’s Ultimate Cheese Toastie
As a kid, the ultimate treat was one of Mum’s cheese toasted sandwiches. This wasn’t just your run of the mill, use-a-toaster type of toasted sandwich though. Mum perfected the Ultimate Cheese Toastie in the fry-pan! Buttery, toasted, crunchy goodness on the outside with superbly melted and stringy cheese in the middle…served with you know…a heaping side of motherly love.
First off, I’d start with a range of cheeses. I chose Cheddar, 4 cheese blend and Parmesan. Pick any cheese you like though really, Gruyere, Mozzerella, anything that melts well. I then cut up some fresh bread and butter and we’re ready to go!
Ingredients/Utensils
- Fresh bread
- Butter
- Cheeses (a few slices/enough for a sandwich) – Cheddar, American, Gruyere, Mozzarella, Parmesan, Four Cheese mix, whichever you prefer/have handy.
- Frying pan
Method
1. Butter both sides of the bread. Put a dollop of butter in the pan too for extra buttery crunch!
2. Place one side of the bread into the pan. Layer with the cheddar, then the four cheese mix and top off with the Parmesan. Allow the bread to fry in the pan, usually about 30 seconds. Use a spatula to lift the corner and check if it’s browning. Once it starts to brown, add the lid of the sandwich and flip!
3. Fry the second side for 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until nicely browned.
And you are done!
This recipe isn’t much, it’s not overly difficult, and can be made fairly quickly once you get the hang of it. Great to eat wrapped in some parchment paper as you race out the door, or as I prefer, at the table with a glass of ice cold milk. Enjoy…!
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