W Is For Will

Send Noods – Carbonara

“If my Grandmother had wheels she would have been a bike…” – Gino D’Acampo

When either my wife or I are busy in the evening during the week and we do not schedule a proper meal we colloquially label these meals “Girl Dinner” or “Boy Dinner”. Girl dinner following the meme definition of the types of food that a Girl would qualify as dinner. My wife’s Girl Dinner can vary from chips and salsa to cheese and crackers to wheat thins and wine. There’s an important distinction between Girl Dinner and Boy Dinner, its the devices by which boy’s eat dinner. Often times my go to is Annie’s Mac and Cheese, but I will lay a wash cloth on our coffee table and eat directly from the pot I just cooked with and use my prep spoon. I could also be tempted to eat cereal with a spatula off a baking pan if needed but even I have some standards.

Boy Dinner this week goes by another name, Carbonara. I’ve made this dish a few times before but was encouraged to go again this week when my local Tom Thumb actually have pancetta for once. Yeah, I know you’re supposed to use guanciale but I live in Texas not Venice so give me a break.

Carbonara

Ingredients

  1. 1/2 pound guanciale (can substitute with pancetta)
  2. 3 large eggs
  3. 1 egg yolk
  4. 4 ounces of cheese (Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano-Reggiano)
  5. Ground black pepper
  6. Spaghetti noodles

Recipe

  • Start boiling up salted water in a pot big enough to contain all of your pasta.
  • Chop up your guanciale or pancetta if you don’t have a nonna nearby.
  • Grate, grate, and grate 4oz of pecorino Romano cheese.
    • I went 2oz Pecorino and 2oz Parmesan and mine tasted outstanding so you do you.
  • Gently whisk your 3 eggs + 1 yolk and combine with the grated cheese and a good amount of fresh cracked pepper.
    • Create a slurry, which is appropriately named.
  • Once your water is boiling add your pasta and cook to al dente.
  • Pan fry your pancetta or guanciale at medium or medium-low heat until just slightly crispy, then cut the heat.
    • Start with a cold pan, it helps to render out more delicious fat.
    • If you think it’s too much fat use a paper towel and soak some up.
  • Once your noods have hit al dente cut the heat and transfer them to the guanciale/pancetta pan.
  • Add your slurry to the pan and begin mixing vigorously.
    • IMPORTANT, we have no heat going to the pan because we will use the residual heat from the pasta to cook the slurry. It’s important to mix well because if you are a baby with mixing your slurry will curdle and you’re left with scrambled eggs with cheese and pasta.
  • Once your sauce has creamed up and looks friggin’ incredible do a taste test.
  • Season with salt as needed, add more shredded Parmesan or pecorino if desired, and serve!

Listen, this dish ain’t for the faint of heart. I love a simple dish that tastes incredible. It’s why I love my Scarjo pasta.

Carbonara is RICH. Its full time job is being handed a literal bag of money every hour that’s how rich it is. Eggs and cheese with some black pepper for a sauce is delicious, but I can only do it as a treat every once in a while, or in this case boy dinner.

It is just a really good meal. Nothing more to say about it. It’s not going to break the foundations of cuisine, it’s not going to make a nonna cry. It will make you happy, and that’s what all recipes and dishes should do at a bare minimum.

Cheers Y’all,
William

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