Pasta Carbonara With English Peas Food

PASTA CARBONARA WITH ENGLISH PEAS

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add salt until it tastes like the sea.
• Put the pancetta and a small glug of olive oil in a skillet or Dutch oven that's large enough to hold all the pasta. Cook until the pancetta is lightly browned but still slightly chewy, 9 to 12 minutes (or less if you're using thinly sliced pancetta). Season the pancetta very generously with pepper. Take the skillet off the heat, but don't drain anything-you'll use that fat!
• When the water is at a boil, add the pasta and cook according to the package directions until almost al dente. When the pasta is almost ready, add the shelled peas to the pasta pot.
• Put the skillet back over medium heat and reheat the pancetta gently.
• With a ladle or a measuring cup, scoop out about 1 cup of the pasta cooking water. Drain the pasta and peas. Whisk a couple of tablespoons of the pasta water into the fat and pancetta in the skillet, to make the bacon fat lighter and creamier by emulsifying it with the water. Pull the pan off the heat.
• Whisk some of that warm fat into the beaten egg to temper it (meaning to gently warm up the egg so that it doesn't scramble when you add it to the hot skillet), then whisk the egg into the skillet.
• Dump the pasta, peas, scallions, and pea tendrils (if using) into the skillet. Add both the cheeses and toss everything quickly and thoroughly to blend. Add a few more small splashes of the pasta water and keep tossing until the noodles are cloaked in a creamy sauce. Taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt or black pepper as needed. Serve right away. This dish does not wait.

CARBONARA CLASSICA

Steps:

• In a medium saute pan over medium heat, cook the pancetta until tender-crisp. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside. Reserve the pan with the drippings.
• Separate 4 of the eggs and set the yolks aside. Discard the 4 whites. Crack the fifth egg and add it to the yolks.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, 2/3 of the pancetta, the Parmigiano-Reggiano, black pepper and cayenne.
• Cook the pasta until al dente. Add the peas when the pasta is just about finished and strain both into the reserved pancetta drippings. Reserve about 3/4 cup pasta water to fortify the sauce.
• Add the egg mixture into the pasta and toss well with tongs for about 1 minute. Add the reserved pasta water to the bowl in 1/4 cup increments, combining and adding until desired sauce consistency is reached. Add the parsley and gently combine and place into a serving dish.
• Garnish with the reserved pancetta.

CLASSIC CARBONARA WITH PANCETTA

Steps:

• Whisk together the eggs, cream, and 1 cup of Parmesan cheese in a bowl. Blend thoroughly, and set aside.
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the pasta, and cook until al dente, or for 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta, then return it to the pot (off of the heat), and cover to keep warm.
• Meanwhile, heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet; add the onion and cook until transparent, about 8 minutes. Remove onion from the skillet; place in a bowl, and cover to keep warm.
• Using the same skillet, cook the pancetta over medium heat until browned, tossing with nutmeg. Drain on paper towels.
• Combine the pasta, onion, pancetta, pine nuts, salt, and pepper in the same large skillet over low heat. Slowly stir in the egg-cream mixture, tossing gently so the eggs don't scramble. Cook until just heated through. Remove from heat and toss with parsley and remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.