# Carbonara, sort of...



## medtran49 (May 22, 2019)

Classic carbonara has egg yolk, Pecorino Romano, guanciale, black pepper, pasta and maybe some pasta water, that's it.  But, it seems like sometimes you end up with scrambled eggs and pasta.  This method virtually eliminates that possibility.  

This recipe also is not classic in that it uses prosciutto (which we had in the freezer leftover from another meal and was a little dried out, but perfectly fine for this recipe) and American bacon.  It also uses Mizithra cheese, but since that can be difficult to find and is usually very expensive, even more so than imported Pecorino Romano, I subbed the Pecorino.  

The original idea/recipe/method can be found at https://www.saveur.com/article/recipes/wayne-thiebauds-spaghetti-with-mizithra-cheese

Ingredients

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 lb. spaghetti
4 oz. bacon, cut into 1″ pieces
4 oz. prosciutto, cut into ½″ pieces
1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup chicken stock
4 Tbsp unsalted butter
2 cups grated Mizithra cheese or Pecorino Romano
1/4 cup finely chopped parsley (optional, I omitted)
4 egg yolks, lightly beaten

Instructions

Cook spaghetti to al dente per package instructions in a large pot of boiling salted water.  In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp, 8–10 minutes, adding prosciutto in about halfway through.  Transfer bacon and prosciutto to paper towels to drain.  Place red onion in pan and cook until soft, stirring occasionally. Increase heat to medium high, add stock and butter, bring to a boil. Drain spaghetti, reserving a cup of pasta water, and add to pan, mixing with sauce. Remove pan from heat and stir in drained bacon and prosciutto, plus two-thirds of the cheese, the parsley if using, egg yolks, and plenty of black pepper. Add some pasta water if sauce is too tight.  Taste, add salt and more pepper if needed.  Serve, using remaining cheese as garnish.


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## Andy M. (May 22, 2019)

Love carbonara! I recently started using the seriouseats.com recipe and find it excellent. I haven't used quanciale as it's hard to find and expensive. I chose bacon over pancetta as I prefer the smokey flavor and arm Reg over romano. So I guess I make a "sort of" carbonara, but the eggs are never an issue.


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## marigio (May 22, 2019)

In the coocking forum, i have heard that some forum writers are not sure about the use of raw eggs because of they are afraid of the salmonella.
But i saw in a television Italian program that someone use the yolk of the hard boiled egg.
Before they stir the Pecorino cheese in a bowl with a bit of the pasta boiling water until it become like a cream, than they add the yolk crumbled and stir very well . It become a yellow cream. You dont' realize the difference.
After the pasta has been drained you put it  the pan of  the bacon and then quickly in the bowl containing the pecorino and eggs cream. Stir quickly .
So people can eat without fear Carbonara


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## KatyCooks (May 22, 2019)

I love Carbonara too.  Such a very quick, simple and sustaining recipe!

I never worry about the "correct" pork to use - at its simplest this is about whatever is local, so local smoked bacon goes into mine.  

As do eggs.  

If you don't trust the quality of the eggs, and genuinely feel that your eggs are going to kill you unless you boil them first - I would say, adapt and survive - this is not the recipe for you!


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## Cheryl J (May 22, 2019)

Looks and sounds wonderful, Karen.  Thank you for sharing!


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## di reston (May 23, 2019)

My recipe is as follows:

For 4 people

220 g spaghetti, the largest size
25 bacon cubes, cut small
2 tbsp EVoo
2 eggs beaten + 1 yolk beaton with them
good dredging of black pepper
grated Parmesan cheese - two palms worth



**** Cook the the pasta in a large pan with salted water
In the meantime cook the bacon cubes in a frying pan until crisp
In the mintime beat the eggs  and then add the grated cheese and the bacon bits
Stir well and then add the pasta, stir again and serve immediately

regards to you all


Di reston


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## Paellator (Oct 2, 2019)

I love carbonara and I usually make my lighter version (I hope no one is offended  ):

The method is similar but I make a couple of changes in the ingredient list: 

I add smoked turkey or chicken ham cubes instead of bacon.
1 egg + 2 yolks beaten
I put in half a small onion, finely chopped that I sauté (low heat) with a little of evoo before adding the ham cubes.

I hope it is useful for someone


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## Chief Longwind Of The North (Oct 22, 2019)

di reston said:


> My recipe is as follows:
> 
> For 4 people
> 
> ...


This is absolutely classic.  It's jow I make my carbonara as well.

As for the salmonella concerns, the heat from the pasta cooks the beaten egg as it is stirred into the carbonara.  Aslo, anyone eating marange is basiccaly eating raw, or barely cooked egg, unless of course it is baked.  There are many who worry about eating raw egg, but who wouldn't think twice about tasting a raw cake batter by licking the beaters, or taking a spoonful out of the bowl, or eating raw cookie dough.  Most of us have eaten raw egg poducts.  Mayonaise is a raw egg product as sell.

Of coourse, therre is a method for pasteurizing eggs -   .As per these sites - https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidacheson/2015/08/22/salmonella-guide/#23bde1d51b90, and - Salmonella in Eggs - Weighing up the risks - Breaking the Vicious Cycle, salmonella is found in approximately 1 in every 20,000 eggs.  

You can pasteurize your eggs by following the instructions on this site - https://bakingbites.com/2011/03/how-to-pasteurize-eggs-at-home/

Hope this helps, and puts things into perspective.

Seeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North


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