Spaghetti carbonara, a classic of Roman cuisine
It is one of the most loved dishes by the Romans (but not only), a timeless dish that always puts everyone in agreement: did you know that it was invented by chance during the Second World War? Here’s what happened.
It seems, as Giallo Zafferano tells us, that the first Carbonara pasta was made in Rome in 1944. The most reliable story in fact tells the encounter between the ingredients available to American soldiers and the imagination of a Roman cook. The result was the prototype of spaghetti carbonara: eggs, bacon (later bacon) and cheese. Over time the recipe has evolved, becoming the one we all know today. A timeless myth, copied (often in an unorthodox way) all over the world. There are different variations, of sea, with other ingredients, with artichokes, but here we propose the classic, original one, identical to the one proposed by the Roman cook to the American military.
It is said that American soldiers, during the Second World War, tasted the Abruzzese “cacio e ova” pasta prepared by charcoal burners (carbonari in Romanesco) in the Aquila area and from here the name “carbonara” could also be born. Adding the bacon was almost natural, also for the area where the recipe was made and, perhaps, also the smoked pancetta, the famous bacon, imported directly from the United States.
But there are also those who attribute the birth of carbonara to Naples.
The carbonara dressing is prepared in a matter of minutes. Just think that you only need spiced bacon cut into strips, a golden cream based on egg yolks and lots of freshly grated Pecorino.
Ingrediants
Spaghetti 300 grams
Pillow 150 grams
6 egg yolks
Extra virgin olive oil
Grated Pecorino
salt
black pepper
To prepare spaghetti carbonara, start by placing a pan with salted water on the stove to cook the pasta. In the meantime, remove the rind from the bacon and cut it first into slices and then into strips about 1 cm thick. Pour the pieces into a non-stick pan with extra virgin olive oil and brown for about 15 minutes over medium heat, be careful not to burn it otherwise it will release a too strong aroma.
In the meantime, throw the spaghetti into boiling water and cook for the time indicated on the package. Meanwhile, pour the egg yolks into a bowl, add most of the pecorino required by the recipe, the rest will be used to garnish the pasta.
Season with black pepper, mix everything and mix.
Meanwhile, the bacon will be cooked, turn off the heat and keep it aside. Drain the pasta al dente directly into the pan with the bacon and sauté briefly to flavor it. Remove from the heat and pour the egg and pecorino mixture into the pan, skip the pasta to mix and if it is too dry you can add a little cooking water. Serve the spaghetti carbonara immediately, flavoring them with the leftover pecorino and ground black pepper.
WATCH THE VIDEO. How to Make Spaghetti Carbonara:
Would you like to lear about CACIO e PEPE indeed?
