Spaghetti Carbonara

[ShyBoy]

For 2 people, very simple and straightforward recipe please :-)

want to cook for my girlfriend tomorrow and have picked spaghetti carbonara to do, and the recipes on the internet are a bit confusing, its like they were written for chefs or something and the others are too simplistic, literally "add everything to pan and cook, then eat" (well, maybe not exactly literally, but you get what I mean )

I know there are some cooking gurus on here so any help would be appreciated!

[Glittery]

Asda and Tesco do Carbonara sauces in a little tub that already has bacon/mushrooms etc added, all you do is add to pasta and viola

[Bunnie]

Originally Posted by Glittery Vodka

Asda and Tesco do Carbonara sauces in a little tub that already has bacon/mushrooms etc added, all you do is add to pasta and viola

thats what i was going to say...get the fresh sauce rather than in a jar. much nicer.

[Glittery]

Yeah get fresh, and fresh pasta, and garlic bread

[ShyBoy]

is it not better to make the sauce myself? So its more authentic? I dont know really . And I know how to make garlic bread already so thats not a prob!

[kangoo]

Its supposed to be really easy to make but when I had a bash it turned into scrambled egg. So yeah probs best to buy it ready made. Or if you're determined to have a bash then here is spaghetti carbonara alla delia

8 oz (225 g) dried spaghetti
5 oz (150 g) smoked pancetta, cubed or sliced
2 large eggs, plus 2 extra yolks
1½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 tablespoons Pecorino Romano, finely grated, plus extra to serve
4 tablespoons double cream
freshly milled black pepper

Whisk cream, cheese and eggs in a bowl and season. Fry pancetta. Cook pasta. Drain and leave a wee bit of water. With the pasta off the heat stir in the cooked pancetta and the eggy mixture. It should cook on contact with the pasta and not turn into egg mess. I haven't tried it since the last disaster so good luck! Also you can get a packet that u mix with milk from the supermarket, its in with the sauces and chilli con carne mix etc. I haven't tried it so it could be minging. Have fun

[littlemissy]

Originally Posted by kangoo

Its supposed to be really easy to make but when I had a bash it turned into scrambled egg. So yeah probs best to buy it ready made. Or if you're determined to have a bash then here is spaghetti carbonara alla delia

8 oz (225 g) dried spaghetti
5 oz (150 g) smoked pancetta, cubed or sliced
2 large eggs, plus 2 extra yolks
1½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 tablespoons Pecorino Romano, finely grated, plus extra to serve
4 tablespoons double cream
freshly milled black pepper

Whisk cream, cheese and eggs in a bowl and season. Fry pancetta. Cook pasta. Drain and leave a wee bit of water. With the pasta off the heat stir in the cooked pancetta and the eggy mixture. It should cook on contact with the pasta and not turn into egg mess. I haven't tried it since the last disaster so good luck!

I used a similar recipe and it turned into scrambled egg with pasta. We didn't even attempt to eat it :|

Also you can get a packet that u mix with milk from the supermarket, its in with the sauces and chilli con carne mix etc. I haven't tried it so it could be minging. Have fun

After my eggy disaster I decided to use the schwarz packet and it is *really* yummy

[kangoo]

Yeah thats the packet thingy I was on about, schwartz thing...looks nice. I'm sooo glad I'm not the only one who has made spaghetti alla scrambled egg. Am pleased

[lipsy]

i fry garlic onions and bacon together whilst spaghetti is cooking. then i drain spaghetti and add the bacon etc to it. then i add single cream and a whisked egg. stir for maybe a minute, sprinkle on cheese and voila.

its only if u heat up the egg and cook it that it goes wrong.

Having the heat too high when adding the egg/cream mix makes it scrambled. It took me a while but I got it right eventually.

[my name]

Originally Posted by kangoo

...

I love you. The man doesn't eat tomatos or antying related (even spagetti sauce) and this sounds so easy and decicious to make. Screw shyboy (just kidding I love you) I'm totally stealing this and maing this. Thanks.

[katralla]

If it turns a bit scarmbled, can't you just shove it in the blender to make it nice and smooth again? I know a friend who does this when his hollondaise goes wrong; I always stick to microwave stuff though so I wouldnae know.

[littlemissy]

Originally Posted by katralla

If it turns a bit scarmbled, can't you just shove it in the blender to make it nice and smooth again? I know a friend who does this when his hollondaise goes wrong; I always stick to microwave stuff though so I wouldnae know.

Blended spaghetti ...

The point with carbonara is that you put the egg in after you put the spaghetti in, so unless you want creamed spaghetti as well as your sauce then I wouldn't suggest trying to blend it

[Youngbull]

I used to cook it alot myself when at uni. its a really nice meal, and quick and easy to make. but its MUCH easier to buy the sause. i would say one thing though. add some extra bacon and mushrooms and maybe some chicken too.

I didn't have time to do the mini tapas i was planning for my meal with my young lady. But i did something similar to carbonara.

Chop up 2-3 chicken breasts, some bacons, put in frying pan or wok.
chop up some mushrooms, onions and garlic, and fry with meat with some white wine.
Put pasta on the boil.
Once meat is cooked add some Garlic and herb Boursin soft cheese till its melted with meat.
Once melted add a can of Camballs cream of mushroom soup.
Cook for a few more minutes then serve.

Some garlic bread goes well with it too.