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![]() ![]() ![]() LINGUINI WITH BACON AND ONIONS Linguine alla Carbonara This dish is very typical of Roman pasta preparations and, although its origins are questionable, there seems to be some reference in the name to the charcoal makers who smoldered wood in the hills around Rome to make charcoal. In Ciociaria, the hills towards Abruzzo, pasta is traditionally dressed with bacon and eggs, products readily available at home. The traditional carbonara became popular in Rome after World War II-it was a time of meager existence. Basic food, such as the bacon and powdered eggs, was distributed to needy families in the aftermath of the wars by the Allied forces. It is unromantic to think that such a delicious dish was created under such stressful conditions, but it's a possibility. In years following that war there was an influx of Italian immigrants to the United States. With them came Carbonara, which was one of the main pasta preparations in Italian-American restaurants, and still is a favorite in Italian restaurants. Makes 6 servings Ingredients: Salt 6 ounces slab bacon, in one piece 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 2 large yellow onions, sliced ½-inch (about 3 cups) 1 1/2 cups hot Chicken Stock or canned reduced-sodium chicken broth, or as needed 1 pound linguine 3 egg yolks 1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese Box: The Importance Of Coarsely Ground Pepper Coarsely ground black pepper is essential to this dish. If your mill doesn't grind pepper coarsely, try the following trick: Place the peppercorns on a flat surface. Holding the rim of a small, heavy saucepan or skillet with one hand, and pressing down of the center of the pan with the other, crush the peppercorns until coarsely ground. Coarsely ground black pepper Directions: I use slab bacon here because I like large pieces that are brown on the outside, but still moist in the center. If you cannot find slab bacon, use the thickest sliced supermarket bacon you can find. Just be sure not to overcook it. If you prefer, you can pour off all the bacon fat after browning the bacon and replace it with an equal amount of olive oil, but remember, the bacon fat has a much more pronounced flavor. If you don't have the stock called for in the recipe, just use water from the pasta pot. Often you will see this dish prepared with cream. It's not the traditional style, but that's not to say it doesn't taste good. But I prefer my carbonara made this way, the sauce thickened lightly with egg yolk. The heat of the pasta is enough to cook the egg yolks, but if you like, you may bring a small saucepan of boiling water to a simmer and, about a minute before draining the pasta, slip the yolks into a small sieve placed into the simmering water to coddle them for a minute. Carefully lift the sieve from the water and add the coddled yolks to the pasta as described above. Bring 6 quarts of salted water to the boil in an 8-quart pot over high heat. Remove the rind, if necessary from the bacon. Cut the bacon into 1/4 inch slices, then cut the slices crosswise into 1/4 inch strips. Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook, stirring, until the bacon is lightly browned, but still soft in the center, about 6 minutes. The amount of fat in the skillet will vary depending on the bacon. If there is more than 3 to 4 tablespoons of fat in the pan, pour off the excess. If there is less than 3 to 4 tablespoons, add enough olive oil to measure that amount. Add the onions and cook until wilted, but still crunchy, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the stock, bring to a boil and adjust the heat to a lively simmer. Cook until the liquid is reduced by about half. Meanwhile, stir the linguini into the boiling salted water. Return to a boil, stirring frequently. Cook the pasta, semi-covered, stirring occasionally, until done, about 8 minutes. Ladle off about a cup of the pasta cooking water. If the skillet is large enough to accommodate the sauce and pasta, fish the pasta out of the boiling water with a large wire skimmer and drop it directly into sauce in the skillet. If not, drain the pasta, return it to the pot and pour in the sauce. Bring the sauce and pasta to a boil, stirring to coat the pasta with sauce. Check the seasoning, adding salt if necessary. If necessary, add as much chicken stock or pasta cooking water as needed to make enough sauce to generously coat the pasta. Remove the pan from the heat and add the egg yolks one at a time, tossing well after each. (A salad fork and spoon work well for this.) Add the grated cheese, then the black pepper, tossing well and serve immediately in warmed bowls. home | about lidia | tv show | books | restaurants | food products | shopping travel | recipes | what's new | where's lidia | special events | contact us copyright © 2000 Felidia Inc. designed by winters ripp design |
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