adapted from Cook’s Illustrated
It’s a creamy carbonara– thank you, eggs. I like having this for breakfast, a late one– “brunch”! The other times I prefer to eat breakfast when not having carbonara?– early morning. I love my mornings as much as I love my late nights. I like these quiet moments. Do you cook breakfast with bed-head?– Just asking…
Some of the fat content is cut back by in the way the bacon is cooked– in water, not fried.
I’m somewhat picky about my choices of bacon, aren’t you? It’s the quality and brand that I’m going to be hard-nosed about each and every time. About the nose, I’m going to want to smell a good kind of smoked flavor filling the kitchen. I want to hear it sizzle. I want my stomach to growl with delight. I’ll make an exception to be hungry as long as I can smell that it’s on its way! This slab is cherrywood-smoked. I think of the cherries, red and plump, with that feel-good time of year when they’re in season– spring into summer. I think of the tree’s interior gorgeous reddish strips of heartwood among medium-deep brown when I smell the aroma of this bacon that was smoked from such a high-quality fruit tree. I like smelling the cherry wood, that I can to some extent. I can’t resist but tie it all in together– where everything comes from, its natural beauty, what it’s made with and how it’s seasoned for taste, and how I want to cook it for my very own plate.
Slice 1 pound into 1/2-inch pieces. I like this picture; I love how it looks here. Does that blue help?!
In a 10-inch skillet, bring bacon and 1/2 cup water to a simmer over medium heat. Allow the water to evaporate, the bacon beginning to sizzle– approximately 8 minutes. Reduce stove heat to medium-low. Cook until the fat renders, when the bacon browns– 5 to 8 minutes more.
Mince 3 garlic cloves. Cook into bacon and fatty water until garlic is fragrant.
Strain the bacon through a fine sieve and set aside. Measure out 1 tablespoon bacon grease that’s been wonderfully season and scented with garlic.
The recipe calls for 1 1/4 cups shredded Pecorino Romano cheese; I used what I had on hand which is creamy Fontinella.
Whisk 3 large eggs plus 1 large egg yolk, cheese, and 1 teaspoon pepper.
Make sure the water is measured 2 quarts for the content of starch needed for the water after pasta has been cooked al dente. Cook noodles in this amount of water.
Drain and reserve 1 cup of the cooking water. Slowly whisk 1/2 cup of reserved water into cheese and egg mixture. Gradually pour all of the cheese-egg mixture over pasta.
Toss to coat, then add bacon pieces; continue to toss, combining well. Allow carbonara to rest a few minutes, tossing a bit at a time; add more pasta water if needed. Adjust consistency.
Serve immediately.
— Susan Nuyt, Skirt in the Kitchen
completely foolproof
Leave a Reply