Easy Pasta Carbonara

Pasta Carbonara is one of the most popular pasta dishes at Italian restaurants, and the thought of making it at home can be intimidating, but today I'm going to show you a very simple version that just about anyone can make.  Here we go.  

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, saute diced pancetta until brown.

While the pancetta is browning, weigh out the cheese and add eggs and pepper.

Combine the cheese, eggs, and pepper - set aside until needed.

Back to the skillet.  When the pancetta is brown, add 1/2 cup chicken stock (try my recipe for delicious homemade stock).  

Scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan.  Heat until the chicken stock boils.

Add the precooked pasta and toss it around to heat it through.

GRADUALLY, add the cheese/egg mixture while stirring the pasta VIGOROUSLY. If you add the mixture to the hot pasta too fast, the eggs could curdle instead of turning into a creamy sauce. 

I like to finish it with a sprinkling of parsley, crushed red pepper flakes, and a little extra cracked black pepper just before serving.  Enjoy!  

Items used to make this recipe:

(affiliate links)

• box grater https://amzn.to/3NJLZEL

• large stainless skillet https://amzn.to/3gvXoHI

• tongs https://amzn.to/3GAoCry

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Easy Pasta Carbonara

makes 4-6 servings

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

• 4 ounces pancetta, diced into small cubes

• 1/2 cup chicken stock

• 3 large eggs, room temperature

• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

• 3 1/2 ounces (100 grams) grated pecorino romano cheese

• 1 pound slightly undercooked long pasta (like spaghetti, linguine, bucatini), rinsed with cold water

• optional: crushed red pepper, chopped parsley

Directions

1. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown pancetta in olive oil for several minutes; add chicken stock and simmer for 2 minutes.

2. In a mixing bowl, combine the eggs, black pepper, and grated cheese.

3. Add the pasta to the skillet and stir for 2 minutes to reheat.

4. Slowly add the egg/cheese mixture to the skillet, stirring constantly until the cheese melts and forms a creamy sauce, coating all the pasta.

5. Place pasta in a serving bowl and garnish with crushed red pepper flakes and chopped parsley.

Ginger Milk Pudding

Here's a fun dessert for everyone to try.  It's a unique "pudding" made with 3 simple ingredients - milk, sugar, and freshly squeezed ginger juice.  Just combine them and wait about 15 minutes for the magic to happen.  You'll know it's ready when you can balance a small spoon on the surface.  Kind of a cool party trick to entertain your friends and family.  I hope you'll give it a try.

In order to get the ginger juice out of the ginger, you have to grate it.  You can do this using a ginger grater (shown above), a microplane, or the sides of a box grater.  

It's not necessary to peel the ginger, but you can if you want to.  Try using the edge of a spoon to scrape the thin skin from the ginger root.  A vegetable peeler will work too, but it will remove more than just the skin. 

If you use a ginger grater, you'll notice some of the juice collects in the dish.

But I find you can get a lot more ginger juice if you place the pulp in a garlic press or squeeze it between layers of cheesecloth.

Measure 2 teaspoons of the freshly squeezed ginger juice per dessert bowl and set aside for later.

In the meantime, gently heat the milk and sugar together over medium heat until it reaches 165F.   Turn off the heat, but don't pour the milk into the dessert cups yet...

Stir the ginger juice to redistribute the starch granules that have settled to the bottom of the bowls.

Immediately pour half of the heated milk and sugar mixture into each bowl and DON'T STIR.  Just let the bowls sit, undisturbed, for about 15 minutes. 

After 15 minutes have passed, the pudding should have set and you should be able to balance a small demitasse spoon on the surface.  Serve warm, at room temperature, or chill for several hours for a slightly firmer texture.

Items used to make this recipe:

(affiliate links)

• ceramic ginger grater https://amzn.to/3Xn2ivw

• box grater https://amzn.to/3Xo4XoA

• garlic press https://amzn.to/3PqEepB

• cheese cloth https://amzn.to/3NJMJd1

• small demitasse spoons https://amzn.to/46dTrjE

• heavy bottom saucepan (I used this one) https://amzn.to/42VssGU

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Ginger Milk Pudding Curd

makes 2 servings

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 8 ounces whole milk (milk substitutes won't work)

• 4 teaspoons granulated sugar

• 4 teaspoons fresh ginger juice (from a 6-inch piece of fresh, mature ginger)

Directions

1. Peel and grate ginger on a ginger grater, microplane, or the small holes of a box grater.

2. Squeeze juice from grated ginger by pressing in a garlic press or pinch it between layers of cheesecloth; measure 2 teaspoons of ginger juice into two 4 to 5-ounce dessert cups.

3. Place milk and sugar in a small, heavy-bottom saucepan and stir to dissolve sugar; heat mixture to 165F.

4. Immediately remove milk from heat.

5. Wait - before adding hot milk to ginger juice, stir the ginger juice in each dessert cup to redistribute starch granules have settled to the bottom; immediately pour half the milk mixture into each cup. DO NOT STIR!!!

6. Wait at least 15 minutes for pudding to set before trying to balance a demitasse spoon on the surface of the pudding.

Note

• For a slightly firmer texture, chill the pudding for several hours after it sets.