# Spaghetti alla carbonara



## nonnapapera (Oct 29, 2010)

A very beatiful video shows how to cook the original "spaghetti alla carbonara". 
Italian recipe. 
Watch here let's cook - spaghetti alla carbonara on Vimeo


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## Kayelle (Oct 29, 2010)

*I love Spaghetti alla carbonara and haven't made it in a long time.  Thanks for the reminder, and welcome to DC. *


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## ChefJune (Oct 29, 2010)

Kayelle said:


> *I love Spaghetti alla carbonara and haven't made it in a long time. Thanks for the reminder, and welcome to DC. *


 
I was just thinking the very same thing.


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## snickerdoodle (Oct 29, 2010)

I'm wondering why I never made this before since I L-O-V-E bacon.  Looks simple enough!  But I have a newbie question.  Is the egg pretty much raw when you're eating it?  Or do the hot noodles cook it?  Not sure I'd want to give this to one of my little ones if the egg is raw... but I would eat it for sure.


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## Andy M. (Oct 29, 2010)

Pretty much raw.  Not cooked enough to call it cooked.


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## sparrowgrass (Oct 29, 2010)

I disagree, Andy.  Warm the serving bowl (put your colander in your serving bowl, and drain the boiling pasta water into it.  Dump the pasta water out.) Have your eggs at room temperature, not cold from the fridge.

Mix your eggs and cheese in the warm bowl, immediately add the hot pasta, and the eggs will certainly be over 140 degrees.


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## Kayelle (Oct 29, 2010)

sparrowgrass said:


> I disagree, Andy.  Warm the serving bowl (put your colander in your serving bowl, and drain the boiling pasta water into it.  Dump the pasta water out.) Have your eggs at room temperature, not cold from the fridge.
> 
> Mix your eggs and cheese in the warm bowl, immediately add the hot pasta, and the eggs will certainly be over 140 degrees.



Those are *great* instructions, SG........thanks.


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## taxlady (Oct 29, 2010)

sparrowgrass said:


> I disagree, Andy.  Warm the serving bowl (put your colander in your serving bowl, and drain the boiling pasta water into it.  Dump the pasta water out.) Have your eggs at room temperature, not cold from the fridge.
> 
> Mix your eggs and cheese in the warm bowl, immediately add the hot pasta, and the eggs will certainly be over 140 degrees.



Great idea. Why didn't I think of that?


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## Claire (Oct 30, 2010)

I agree; my eggs are not raw ... my husband says he likes mine best because the way I do it, the eggs sort of cling to the spaghetti in a very soft-scrambled kind of way, coating it.  The heat from the pasta does cook the eggs.  But I agree with all of the hints; the eggs brought to room temp, etc.  I also cook it in the hot pot I boiled the pasta in, all ingredients at least room temp.  I've also made this successfully with egg-beaters.  I think adding the parm (I actually like pecorino equally), very finely grated, to the eggs until they're quite thick might help them to stick to the pasta.  

I also am not adverse to using other smoked meats rather than bacon, if that is what I have.

This is a favorite go-to dish when we have busy days.  One of my favorites.  Add a bag of mixed greens and some oil and vinegar, et voila!  (sorry, don't know how to say that in Italian), a full meal for a couple on the run!


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## sparrowgrass (Nov 1, 2010)

Another tip for great carbonara is to come over to my house and pick up a dozen fresh from the chicken house eggs.  Makes all the difference.


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## taxlady (Nov 1, 2010)

Phooey. I just had to go and check out what Wikipedia says about salmonella, the most common problem with raw eggs.

Salmonella - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"Salmonella can survive for weeks outside a living body. They have been found in dried excrement after more than 2.5 years.[citation needed] Salmonella are not destroyed by freezing .[5][6]Ultraviolet radiation and heat accelerate their demise; they perish after being heated to 55 °C (131 °F)	for one hour, or to 60 °C (140 °F)	 for half an hour.[citation needed] To protect against Salmonella infection, it is recommended that food be heated for at least ten minutes at 75 °C (167 °F)	 so that the centre of the food reaches this temperature.[citation needed]"

I don't think we need to worry about the centre of the food reaching the temperature.


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## snickerdoodle (Nov 1, 2010)

sparrowgrass said:


> I disagree, Andy. Warm the serving bowl (put your colander in your serving bowl, and drain the boiling pasta water into it. Dump the pasta water out.) Have your eggs at room temperature, not cold from the fridge.
> 
> Mix your eggs and cheese in the warm bowl, immediately add the hot pasta, and the eggs will certainly be over 140 degrees.


 
Now that makes good sense!  I'll have to try this.


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## Selkie (Nov 1, 2010)

It has no appeal to me. Just yesterday, while at IHOP (International House of Pancakes), I sent my eggs back because the white wasn't cooked all of the way through. Just the thought of even a little uncooked egg white is enough to turn my stomach and make this dish undesirable.


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## Kayelle (Nov 1, 2010)

OK guys, I made this tonight following instructions from SG and Clair. Thank you both so much!  It was silky and just wonderful, by far the best I've ever made.  I wish I could give you all a bite.  My hubby said it was better than the SC we had in Venice !!


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## taxlady (Nov 1, 2010)

We like to use Italian, organic, whole grain, wheat fusilli. It really holds the sauce well.


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## Bolas De Fraile (Nov 2, 2010)

Selkie said:


> It has no appeal to me. Just yesterday, while at IHOP (International House of Pancakes), I sent my eggs back because the white wasn't cooked all of the way through. Just the thought of even a little uncooked egg white is enough to turn my stomach and make this dish undesirable.


I only use the yolk in mine, you get a softer finish


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## Poppi G. Koullias (Nov 2, 2010)

taxlady said:


> We like to use Italian, organic, whole grain, wheat fusilli. It really holds the sauce well.



It does indeed!


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## tiramisu (Nov 2, 2010)

As a matter of fact the eggs are cooked by the heat of the spaghetti and by the bacon which should be hot when poured on the pasta and egg.
I suggest to add parmesan after the other ingredients, because the heat of pasta will make it  stick to the bottom of the bowl.


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## Kayelle (Nov 2, 2010)

tiramisu said:


> As a matter of fact the eggs are cooked by the heat of the spaghetti and by the bacon which should be hot when poured on the pasta and egg.
> I suggest to add parmesan after the other ingredients, because the heat of pasta will make it  stick to the bottom of the bowl.



I mixed the grated Parm into the well beaten eggs and it melted beautifully with the hot pasta.  That was one of Claire's hints, and a very good one.

By the way, welcome to DC tiramisu, we're glad you joined us.


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## zfranca (Nov 3, 2010)

nonnapapera said:


> A very beatiful video shows how to cook the original "spaghetti alla carbonara".
> Italian recipe.
> Watch here let's cook - spaghetti alla carbonara on Vimeo


Hello Grandma duck, welcome. Where are you from?
Franca


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## simonaskitchen (Dec 7, 2010)

I like carbonara but hate egg, so I generally make this: I avoid eggs and use mascarpone cheese...


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## ChefJune (Dec 7, 2010)

sounds good, but then it isn't "Carbonara."


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## Rocklobster (Dec 7, 2010)

My fave pasta. I love very runny eggs, and I still make my Ceasar salad with raw egg. You definitely would benifit from a very warm, heavy, earthenware bowl, and I like my sauce still wet and not set. You can use loads of parmesan to soak up the moisture if you don't like it too runny, and the hot noodles will also absorb any moisture. I like to put it in the bown and cover the top with grated Parmesan, then I quickly put a tight fitting lid on it and let it sit until the everything is ready and people are ready to eat. This also lets it finish and set. 

It is supposed to be a Roman invention but, the best carbonara I have ever eaten was in Naples. Good quality olive oil, parmesan and freshly craked black pepper, and loads of fresh parlsey. 

I also make another variation with crumbled Italian sausage instead of bacon....


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## simonaskitchen (Dec 9, 2010)

it's not properly carbonara, ehm! 
but the original 'carbonara' is not yet clear, because ther're several versions, coming through the tradition.
we think it's the usual lunch for 'carbonai' (workers of the coal), that needed an easy pocket lunch, complete and energetic.
but there's also an other version, wich consider the black pepper used on the pasta, that gives a dark clolor to it!


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## Jikoni (Dec 9, 2010)

I always use Pecorino romano cheese and not Permesan  and just the egg yolk and discard the egg white.


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