Fettuccine alla Carbonara

Otherwise known in my house as pasta alla carbonara. Not fancy, simple (only requires 3 main ingredients) and will deliver a devine plate of pasta that will make you feel like Chef Mario Batalli himself. Pasta alla carbonara is my go-to recipe when I suddenly have an impromptu dinner guest at my door and I want to welcome them with a great tasting, homemade meal but I don’t have time to rush out to the grocery store. This Italian pasta dish originates from Lazio, more specifically Rome, and is made up of eggs, cheese (pecorino romano or parmigiano-reggiano), bacon (guanciale or pancetta…you can also use traditional breakfast bacon) and black pepper. Spaghetti is the pasta often used, but you can also use fettuccine, bucatini, linguine or rigatoni (or whatever you have in your pantry.) I had fettuccine on hand when I made it. This dish was created in the middle of the 20th century and first noted as a Roman dish after the second word war where Italians were eating eggs and bacon supplied by American soldiers. To jazz up the presentation for guests, I use Mario Batalli’s technique of separating the eggs and placing the egg yolk in a nest of pasta. Each guest will stir the egg yolk into their pasta to cook it and form an even creamier sauce. Bacon and eggs for dinner, doesn’t get any better than this. Buon Appetito!

Mario Batalli’s Spaghetti alla Carbonara