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Made this last night....Yummy!
Pasta Carbonara
(Rachael Ray recipe)
Ingredients:
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
pound pasta, such as spaghetti or rigatoni
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (enough to coat bottom of pan)
1/4 pound pancetta (Italian bacon), chopped
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
5 to 6 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 large egg yolks
Freshly grated Romano cheese
Handful of finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, for garnish
Directions:
1. Put a large saucepot of water on to boil. Add a liberal amount of salt and the pasta. Cook to al dente, about 8 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil and pancetta. Brown pancetta 2 minutes. Add red pepper flakes and garlic and cook 2 to 3 minutes more. Add wine and stir up all the pan drippings.
3. In a separate bowl, beat yolks, then add 1 large ladleful (about 1/2 cup) of the pasta cooking water. This tempers the eggs and keeps them from scrambling when added to the pasta.
4. Drain pasta well and add it directly to the skillet with pancetta and oil. Pour the egg mixture over the pasta. Toss rapidly to coat the pasta without cooking the egg. Remove pan from heat and add a big handful of cheese, lots of pepper, and a little salt. Continue to toss and turn the pasta until it soaks up egg mixture and thickens, 1 to 2 minutes. Garnish with parsley and extra grated Romano.
(The key to this dish, after I read around on the net, is to start cooking everything when you put the pasta in the water to boil.(Quick dish:once water is boiling you are eating in 10 minutes) I also read of putting 1 cup, or so, of the cheese directly into the egg and water mixture first - then pour it into the pan. I made this for 2 - with a half a box of pasta but used the same amount of sauce)
Lots of freshly ground pepper - that’s what makes this dish.
Quick and Easy with a cool fancy name...