#spaghettialacarbonara

[serataino]

Spaghetti ala carbonara. The guanciale should have been crispier but overall, it disappeared pretty quickly so I'll take it as a win. * * * #spaghettialacarbonara #sugoalacarbonara #italiancuisine https://www.instagram.com/p/B8o_blCgUxA/?igshid=1tzcu9m8mpch6

[upconcertchorus]

Recipes of the world: Spaghetti a la Carbonara

Words Gigi Calvo

Every home cooked meal Korus members partake of is an experience of “love on a plate." With every meal, we feel our hosts’ hospitality and love for us, especially through the food they tediously prepare for us.

  I remember loving the Filipino version of a famous Italian dish which we also refer to by the same name: Carbonara. It is a pasta dish smothered with white sauce made from heavy cream, cheese, spices and bacon bits. Sometimes, Filipinos would even put other proteins and a dash of sugar to bring out the sweet & salty Pinoy taste. As a kid, I would look forward to waking up to the smell of this dish whenever there’s a special occasion at home.

Little did I know that it is miles away from the Italian Carbonara.

  The version is just made from eggs, cheese and Italian bacon or pancetta. Being able to try this simple yet delightful cuisine in an actual Italian home was so exhilarating that I had to write about it and share it to all the foodies in the world.

I’d like to share this recipe of Carbonara taught by mamma Mary Facchi, my host in Cascine San Pietro, a town in the province of Milan. I will never forget foregoing a trip to the Italian Shoes store just so I can learn to cook this dish from her and to spend time with her. It was definitely one of my most memorable experiences on tour with the UP Concert Chorus.

  Spaghetti a la Carbonara

Ingredients

1 pound dry spaghetti

3 tablespoons Olive oil

4 ounces pancetta or bacon, cubed or sliced into small bits

2 large eggs

1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for serving

Salt and Pepper to taste

  Directions

First, prepare the sauce. Beat the eggs thoroughly and then add the generous helping of Parmigiano-Reggiano. You can also use any other of your favorite Italian hard cheeses like Pecorino-Romano. Season with fresh ground black pepper to taste.

Second, cook the pasta according to packet directions. Remember to add a handful of salt into your pasta water and 2 tablespoons of Olive Oil. Make sure to religiously follow the time indicated so as to ensure that your pasta is “al dente”. This means it is firm enough for you to bite into but soft enough to twirl between a fork.

  Next, cook the pancetta in a spoonful of Olive oil over a deep skillet at medium heat. Sauté until the bacon is crisp and the fat is rendered. Meanwhile, drain the pasta but leave some starchy pasta water for sauce adjustment later.

  Add the hot, drained past to the pan and toss to coat the strands in the bacon fat. Remove the pan from the heat and pour the egg & cheese mixture in to the pasta, mixing quickly and thoroughly so the eggs do not scramble. Thin out the sauce with a bit of your reserved pasta water until it reaches the desired consistency. Season the Carbonara with salt and pepper.

  Mound the Spaghetti a la Carbonara into warm serving bowls. Pass more cheese around the table. Enjoy!

Gigi Calvo, Soprano 1, is a graduate of B Hotel and Restaurant Management. She currently works at Manila Catering.