Classic Pasta Carbonara or Spaghetti pasta alla carbonara

I have learnt this recipe from my Italian friend, in my kitchen in Kolkata. Please follow the steps, exactly the way I have mentioned here, in that order. It is different from all the online recipes found in youtube (I have checked). The word Carbonara means Bacon and egg.

Look of classic Pasta Carbonara 

                                          

                                                     Pic credit : pasta+carbonara

1. Heat the half table spoon olive oil (not extra virgin) in a large pan over medium heat. Add the bacon (or pancetta) and cook slowly until crispy. Cut any hard skin off the Bacon. I add button mushroom and Broccoli (which is not authentic actually).  Then add 4-5 table (not tea) spoon of cream and turn off the heat and left in the pan. Actually Bacon has lot of fat, that is why you don't need much olive oil. Oil will come out of it. None of the recipes in internet has talked about cream. But I always use it as per the advise of my friend. So I guess cream is optional.

2. Put the 1 egg yolk (yes you read it right!) into a bowl . In Internet they have advised people to add Parmesan Cheese with egg. I do not do it. Nor did my friend suggest it.

3. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add the 200 gms of pasta (Sphagetti or Penne) and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until tender, yet firm (as they say in Italian "al dente.") . My friend says there is no need to add oil while cooking the pasta in boiling water. However according to my friend al dente is not a must. She likes it "more than al dente" . Drain the pasta well. Tip: Take a Sphagetti out and break it into 2 pieces. See if the colour of the core is consistent, with the surface. In other words, make sure that the core should not be white. White means not fully cooked. My friend said "​No garlic, do not even mention it, in Carbonara...! " However many youtube videos do add garlic. I will stick to my friend's advise, otherwise she will not host me, when I go to her house !!

4. Add the hot, drained spaghetti to the large pan (mentioned in point 2 above) and toss for 2 minutes to coat the strands in the bacon fat. 

 5. Remove the pan from the heat and pour the egg into the pasta, whisking quickly until the Pasta is coated with egg; but do not scramble (this is done off the heat, to ensure this does not happen) . You might be skeptical about the raw eggs, it actually gets cooked through completely from the residual heat.

6.Serve it immediately. Season the Carbonara with several turns of freshly ground black pepper and taste for salt.  You may garnish with chopped Parsley. I do not add Parsley. My friend does not add Parsley. 

Pass some Parmesan cheese around the table. You can add some extra virgin olive oil at the end. Buy good Pasta and not Pasta available for Rs 15,  in the local market !

This serves 2 people.

Your guest chef

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Crtg0kPrPjY- not exactly the one, I have mentioned here. But it is somewhat similar.

Classic Italian Tomato Spaghetti or Pasta Pomodoro

I have learnt this recipe from my Italian friend, in my kitchen in Kolkata. Please follow the steps, exactly the way I have mentioned here, in that order. 

Pomodoro means tomato and ​Salsa al pomodoro means tomato sauce. It is typically served with pasta.

Look of classic Pomodoro Pasta 

                                          Pic credit : lacucinaitaliana.it

Step 1 

Boil the tomatoes (500 gms for two people). ​Drain the water and remove the skin of the tomato (Tip from my friend: Tomatoes should boil just a couple of minutes, then peeled). (This is not essential. I generally tend to opt out of this step). Keep it aside.

Step 2  

Heat the Olive oil (not extra virgin) in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add Garlic with onion (onion first !) and cook,uncovered, stirring often, for 3-4 minutes or until it softens slightly or until aromatic. You can add Broccoli, Bell  Pepper and  Mushroom if you want (But it is not as per original recipe, my friendly angrily pointed out !). One small onion or spring onion will do. My friend said 2 garlic cloves is enough for 2 people. Considering the small sizes of Indian clove, give 4-6 cloves !

Step 3

Put the tomatoes in the pan.Stir in the tomatoes. (Tip:  ​Tomatoes should be cooked without water first; if they do not make enough liquid, then add a little water). Reduce heat to medium and simmer, uncovered, stirring often, for 6-7 minutes or until the sauce reduces and thickens slightly. ​Add Salt while cooking the tomatoes

Step 4  

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add the 200 gms of pasta (Sphagetti or Penne) and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until tender yet firm (as they say in Italian "al dente.") .  My friend says there is no need to add oil while cooking the pasta in boiling water. However according to my friend al dente is not a must. She likes it "more than al dente" . (classic Italian term : If you cook pasta or a  vegetable until it is al dente, you cook it just long enough so that it is neither hard  nor soft but is firm and slightly chewy.Molto al dente is the culinary term for slightly undercooked pasta ). Drain the pasta well. 

Tip: Take a Sphagetti out and break it into 2 pieces. See if the colour of the core is consistent, with the surface. In other words, make sure that the core should not be white. White means not fully cooked.

The water should be at least 3 times the height of Pasta. Drain the pasta and return to the sauce pan. If you overdo it then you will spoil it. Buy good Pasta from the market - not the cheap one available in the market for Rs 15 ! In case of Spaghetti, while boiling break one spaghetti into 2 parts and see if it is white at the ore. Cook until the colour is consistent and not white (white means not cooked).

## Pasta should be around 100x2=200 gm for 2 people

Step 5

Add the Tomato sauce to the pasta and toss to combine. 

Step 6  

Serve immediately and garnish with Parmesan Cheese and Basil (Tulsi) leaves available in India. ( I have basil or Tusli tree in my house. I use it in Pasta. My friend said it is quite good). ​BASIL must not be chopped with a knife, but use your hand to tear the leaves. It is not a sin if you do not have Parmesan in your house. You may add some Oregano, if you want. Add some Black Pepper according to taste. My friend said "With Carbonara I would not add oil, as the sauce is fat enough".

Your guest chef

You can refer to this video , which is very close to what my friend taught me :

https://www.youtube.com