Pasta Carbonara

Paul here, and it's time for the next recipe!  It's a classic, although I've deviated from the most traditional version a little bit to add my own "improvements".

I highly, highly recommend you try this one - very easy to make, delicious, and economical. On first glance at the ingredients list it might sound unhealthy - but consider that it makes about 6 servings so really, you're not overdoing it.

Here's what you'll need:


1. 1 package Pasta - a thin noodle like spaghetti, you could probably use linguine too if it's thin. I wouldn't go as thin as angel hair though. As always, you want to try and get something with a nice matte finish to it.

2. 4 ounces smoked Pancetta, sliced about 1/4" thick - this is a very important ingredient, you can probably find pancetta (Italian bacon) at an Italian grocery, or Whole Foods carries it too. If you can't find smoked, you can use regular. And if you can't even find pancetta, you can use Niman Ranch applewood smoked bacon from Trader Joe's.

3. 4 eggs - you'll only use 1 entirely, and the other 3 just the yolks. For an interesting variation which I actually prefer, use 1 whole chicken egg and 4 quail egg yolks.

4. A slice of lemon - ordinary lemon.

5. Cheese: Parmigiano Reggiano and Pecorino Romano - another important set of ingredients so you should get some decent stuff. Trader Joe's usually has both. You'll need enough to make 1 grated cup of each. I only pictured the Parm, but the Romano has a very distinctive and different taste so I definitely recommend using both.

6. Extra virgin olive oil (4 tablespoons), kosher salt (to taste) and fresh ground pepper (2 teaspoons) - the magic trio, I think these are in every single thing I make and probably in 95% of Italian dishes in general. Start with plenty of peppercorns, 2 tsp doesn't sound like a lot but you'll see when grinding that it is.

OK let's get started!

Step 1:

Fill your pasta pot with water, add salt, and put it on high heat.

Step 2:

Time to prepare the eggs. Crack one of them and put both yolk and white in a small container like a cup. With your other eggs, you just want the yolks, which you should put in the same container as the first, entire egg. An easy way to separate eggs is to crack and put them into your hand. Let the white run through your fingers (do it over a bowl if you want to save the whites), and maybe pass the yolk from hand to hand. Soon it'll be white-free.


Step 3:

Now you want to chop the pancetta, into little squares or rectangles. I recommend about 1/2" by 3/4" but no need for the ruler, just do what you like.

Step 4:

Put your olive oil into a saucepan, set it over fairly low heat, and add your pancetta. The key part here is the heat - you want to cook the pancetta slow and low so that you render the fat without getting it too crispy or burning it.

Step 5:

So while the pancetta's slowly cooking, you can grate the cheese and pepper. After you've got 1 cup of Parm and 1 cup of Romano, which will take quite a while, you can mix them together in the same bowl and put it aside for now. Grind your 2 tsp pepper, which will take a while too, and put it in a separate little cup or dish.

Step 6:

When your pancetta is nice and brown, and most of the fat's rendered, it's about done. While it's still on the heat, add the ground pepper and cook for 2-3 minutes.

Step 7:

Pour the oil/pancetta/pepper mix into a large glass or metal bowl (I used another pot). It needs to cool just slightly so take a few moments and put your pasta into the water, which should be boiling by now.


Step 8:


Now take your cheese and eggs, dump them into the bowl with the oil/pancetta, and mix.

You should have a mix that looks a little bit like orangey-yellow cake batter with chunks of pork (yum, pork cake!).

If yours is not quite the same color as the pic, don't worry - our Italian eggs have extremely dark orange yolks. I'm not sure if it's an indicator of quality, or if they feed the hens marigolds or something to darken them.

Step 9:

Almost done, you just wait for the pasta. When it's done, drain it but RESERVE 3/4 cup of the water. Add the drained pasta to your sauce bowl, and gently but thoroughly mix while adding the reserved water a little at a time. You should end up with a nice creamy sauce coating your pasta.



You're done! Put the pasta in bowls, squeeze your lemon slice over the top, and enjoy. You can add salt if you need it, but you probably won't need too much if any.

Sometimes "Americanized" carbonara will have peas in it - I don't like to put peas in the sauce, but they make a good side dish. If you're making frozen peas, put them in boiling water at the same time you put the pasta in water, and the timing will be just about right.


Hope you like this one!

Out of this world...

Saturn peaches have arrived on the scene here in Bologna! Aren't they adorable? These ones that we bought yesterday from our favorite produce stand are smaller than any that I have seen in the States. Cheesy title aside, they taste very good!

Slow Food Bologna

It's funny that I am studying obesity prevention, and Bologna, where we live, is known as "Bologna la grassa," or Bologna the fat. It's also referred to as the food capital of Italy, which is perfect as I am more specifically interested in the protective effects of gastronomy in obesity prevention. I haven't noticed that people are particularly overweight here; they actually seem less overweight than people in LA. Afterall I am looking to Italy as a model. But the food is rich, and it would be easy to overdo it.


Can you eat classic Bolognese food regularly and not gain weight? I would argue "yes." Don't know if it is the 88 steps that lead to our apartment, the smaller portion sizes of many of the rich foods, the overall lack of processed foods as compared to the US, or the abundance of excellent fruits and vegetables in the markets, but both Paul and I are holding our own and even losing a little weight. Bologna has turned out to be the ideal place for us to live -- it is an epicenter of all things culinary and also an epicenter of the motorcycle industry.


Although I travel Verona to do research, there are many things to get involved with here in Bologna that relate to my project. The Slow Food Bologna group is very active and has been extremely welcoming. This is important to me because I have been volunteering with Slow Food LA as the Social Action Committee Chair, and I think that getting involved here in Bologna will help me learn more about the organization and give me more ideas for projects in the States. Here are a few photos of what I have been doing with Slow Food Bologna so far.


Each Saturday, Slow Food Bologna holds a farmer's market, called Mercato della Terra. I like shopping there because it has a very friendly feel to it. Here's Paul at the entrance.





One of the farmers who sells eggs likes to bring a few chickens to the market for everyone to meet. He is very friendly and was quick to invite us to visit him at his farm.








































The chapter also holds regular events in connection with the market. Over the last few weeks I attended two cooking classes in the kitchen of a community center adjacent to the market. The classes started in the late morning and began with a little shopping at the market to pick up the ingredients, followed by a couple hours of cooking, then a group lunch complete with wine made by market vendors. The first class was on biodynamic cooking and the second was on cooking with cherries, which are now in season and are incredible. Unfortunately I didn't have my camera for the cherry class, but here are a few photos from the biodynamic lesson. We made couscous with seasonal vegetables, seitan with fresh herbs, and a clafoutis with strawberries.

Through participating in the classes, I was able to get to know some of the members and the leader Laura, which has helped me to learn about what is going on in the area. One of the members, Lella, who is involved in setting-up community garden projects, offered to take me to a local elementary school where a teacher established a school garden. The kids were already out of session, but it was still fun to visit.

As one of their projects, the kids made a lettuce and herb garden using recycled water bottles. They were also growing hazelnuts--I had never seen a hazelnut tree before.

Silverstone MotoGP

Two words for all the MotoGP fans....GO TEXAS!!!  Great race today.