Pasta recipe from Sicily using good smoked bacon.


 
M

Mike Marlow

TVWBB Fan
Pasta from Sicily. Because of the quality of bacon I read about in the forum I thought this might go well in the pork section.

Local Sicilian version of Carbonara (sometimes known as ten ingredient pasta)

Very rich. Usually only made for special occasions.

Ingredients-
About 100gms. of pasta per person (usually spaghetti)
One full egg plus one more per person
About 50gms of Parmesan plus 25gms more Parmesan per person
Good handful of chopped basil
One tsp. chopped chili (your choice)
3 cloves of garlic roughly crushed
1clove of garlic mashed
Olive oil
3 or more slices of good smoked bacon cut into small pieces
1 tsp. of anchovy essence
1 onion roughly chopped (may need more depending on how many for)
Plenty of fresh ground black pepper
Salt
Good knob of butter

Method-
In an appropriate glass container crack eggs and whisk lightly. Add finely grated Parmesan, finely chopped basil, 1 clove of mashed garlic, 1 tsp. of anchovy essence, and good grind of fresh black pepper. Leave to side. In a good-sized fry pan put a good tbs. of olive oil and butter bring to low heat and add chopped chilli, 3 cloves of crushed garlic, bacon, and onion. Fry slowly allowing flavors to develop. Cook your pasta in large pasta pan with a little salt and tsp. of olive oil. Cook pasta until al dente. As pasta approaches cooked raise heat on frying pan to crisp up bacon and give a little color to onion. Drain pasta, wipe pasta pan with a little olive oil, replace pasta and put back on cooker over very low heat. Now empty fry pan into pasta and toss still on very low heat. Now add egg mixture and mix well for two or three minutes until egg mixture coats pasta without becoming scrambled. Serve with lots of fresh ground black pepper.
If everything has gone well it should look like a cream sauce (Carbonara like), but of course, no cream. When I first had this I was convinced that it had to be cream in the sauce, having only had Carbonara in the UK, but my Italian relative told me that no self-respecting Italian would use cream for a Carbonara. I have always enjoyed this and hope you do to.
 
I'll offer this simple version to serve to your self-respecting non-Italian guests. Recipe is from memory of a few days ago (& 1st time I made the recipe - so it isn't exact).

Cook your pasta and set it aside. I used penne and cavatappi. Cook your bacon (I used the savory garlic bacon that I recently cured) and reserve 1 TBS of the bacon grease to cook the onion. Brown the onion in the bacon grease. Add 1 cup cream and stir for 3 minutes. Add the previously cooked bacon, chopped. Add the pasta and as much grated cheese as you want. I used more than one cup of 24 month old parmigiano-reggiano and some nice romano and a cup or so of home grown parsley. Oh, yeah, freshly grated pepper.

Richard
 
Richard,
Appreciate your idea of making it easier, but if you have the time it is worth the effort. There is a great blend of flavors with it. I can remember my surprise the first time I had this dish. I found it much more interesting and flavorful.
 
I like making the effort when I cook, but I'm not crazy about eating that egg mixture.
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Richard
 
Richard,
As I said the first time I had this dish I was convinced that it must have some cream in it. And when it was explained to me I was concerned about the use of eggs that way. Now, after using this recipe and technique for many years I have not used cream in this kind of recipe for ages. I was also told a story about how this use of eggs to make this and other Carbonara type dishes started (how true it is I don't know, but I was told it by my Italian brother-in-law). He said that when the invasion of Sicily and Italy happened in WWII the GI's wanted ham and eggs and that Carbonara was what the Italians came up with. I don't know if this is true but it makes a interesting story.
 
That story is commonly told and believed by many Italian cuisine authorities. Whether or not it's true I've no idea but most Italians seem to make carbonara with guanciale (cured unsmoked hog jowl) or pancetta. I like both of those as well as home-smoked slab bacon.

True that carbonara isn't made with cream. Parsley and black pepper are ubiquitous but anchovy is not common (though not unknown); some insist garlic should never be used, some cook it in the oil (or butter) and remove and discard it, others include it (I prefer it). There are variations from there though, several of which I use and/or combine depending on what type of finish I'm going for and how many eggs I have on hand. Many cooks do not use the egg whites (I do not), some add chicken stock to the pan after the bacon has sauteed (I don't do this often but I like it), some add wine instead and let it reduce (I do that and I also reduce a little wine in the pan before the bacon cooks, then add it to the egg yolks; the acidity helps the egg proteins denature and raises the temps to which the yolks can heat before they curdle making it possible to cook them further, eliminating the bacteria issue--I often cook them before adding anything else to them, except the wine noted).

I don't worry about the eggs but if they are a concern buy eggs that have been pasteurized in the shell. I just use free range, very fresh eggs.

I like the look of this carbonara very much. The chile is addition is interesting--very local Sicilian. I have not tried that before but definitely will.


I like reduced cream sauces with bacon too. One similar to Richard's I like is to saute the bacon till nicely colored and crisp then remove most of it, blot it, and reserve it. Remove most of the grease from the pan, deglaze with a little white wine, reduce to nothing, then add butter, some onion and a large handful of whole button mushrooms (or sliced if only larger mushrooms are available) and saute till the mushrooms give up their juices and the juices reduce; add 3/4 c of heavy cream, reduce by half, then a small handful of shredded arugula. Immediately add the cooked pasta and a few T of the cooking water (you've reserved a cup of the pasta cooking water), cut the heat, and allow the pasta to absorb some sauce. Toss the pasta during this time, adding a little cooking water as needed to keep the sauce saucy, add the reserved bacon, then add a little grated parm; serve, passing more cheese separately.
 
Kevin,
The first time I saw this recipe being prepared I was taken aback when my friend got two anchovy fillets and crushed and mashed them. Since then I have used anchovy essence rather than open a can which is what I could get until we moved to Malta. Another variation we meet in Bologna was using Spinach, anchovy, and pancetta. Similar sort of looks, but with quite a different flavor. We got this version at a rest. outside Bologna (Sasso Marconi, a locals rest. that was always packed) when trying their house menu. Three different pasta's as the second plate (the one with spinach, porcini mushrooms, and tartufo) followed by a meat platter with everything in it, plus all the other bits and pieces you always get in Italy, including free lemoncello at the end of the meal. We had a great night. Thanks for the input and ideas.
 
That would depend on the Alfredo sauce I guess. The original is based on cream and butter but no egg. The pasta (in this case, fettuccine) is what is made with egg. Like other classics (caesar salad comes to mind) interpretations, for better or worse, vary.
 
Mike,

My wife and I run a wine web site for a nyc retailer in our spare time and know a fair bit about wine. We enjoy wine that shows it terroir...as Matt Kramer, a wine author would say, a wine that shows its sense of place...where its from.

I think the same could be said for your recipe. We loved both the taste of the food and its sense of place. Thanks for posting the recipe.
 
Jeff,
We to are wine lovers. My wife's sister is married to an Italian and they live just south of Rome in Frascati. We have always enjoyed our visits there. Both the wine and the food. I found this recipe when we visited Sicily about 15 years ago from a chef we meet and got friendly with in a small village in the central region. Also had the chance to try other pasta recipes including a similar recipe to above but using less ingredients and spinach instead of basil. Also one with black truffel, and an old favorite (supposed to be good for avoiding hangovers) with chiles, garlic, and olive oil. Very simple but tasty. So glad you enjoyed it.
 
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