It’s almost been a week since Easter and maybe you’ve grown tired of simply reheating some leftover ham with soggy green beans, or slapping some dijon on top of a slice or two and slamming it between some sad white bread. But, whatever you do, don’t discard that ham. That would be a cardinal sin! The best part about Easter and Christmas leftovers, in my humble opinion, is using up the ham to make one of my favorite pasta dishes: carbonara.
Carbonara originates from Rome where legend has it that during, or shortly after the war, there was an influx of American ham (along with the soldiers) and the local chefs used that ham along with their pasta to create this lovely, hammy pasta concoction. It’s fairly simple: pancetta, ham, spaghetti and a mix of parmigiano-reggiano and pecorino-romano cheeses, dressed in a luxurious egg sauce. This last part is what causes most consternation. Some get freaked out by possibly consuming raw egg and either get the egg mixture too hot (where you end up with some scrambled bits) or just decide they don’t want to chance it and take a hard pass.
The recipe below accounts for both and assures that you get perfectly cooked and, most importantly, creamy eggs which will coat your noodles. This coating method is the process that also gently cooks the eggs, making them safe for consumption. I also take some liberties with the ingredients and add a couple of items that I grew up with when my mom would make this dish. Make it your own: go traditional and basic, or go hog wild and add some unexpected ingredients.
Pasta Carbonara
For this recipe (or any recipe, really) you should use freshly grated cheese (i.e., grate it yourself). If you buy yours pre-grated, do it from an actual cheese shop or good cheese section of a grocery store. The big commercial brands typically have atrocious fillers in their pre-grated cheeses.
½ lb bacon, sliced ¼-inch wide
~1lb ham, cut into ½-inch wide x 2.5-inch long strips
~8 oz spaghetti
2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
½ tsp red pepper flakes
6 oz large olives, drained and sliced
12 oz roasted red bell peppers, drained and sliced
1 cup frozen peas
½ cup each of grated parmigiano-reggiano and pecorino romano cheese
3 eggs + 1 egg yolk
Fistful of parsley leaves, rough chopped
Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
Meanwhile, in a large non-stick skillet, render the bacon, over medium heat, and remove with a slotted spoon to a paper-towel lined plate. While the bacon renders, slice your ham.
Add the olive oil and butter to the bacon fat. When the butter has melted, add the ham and toss to combine. Sauté until the ham begins to brown, stirring a couple of times. After the ham hits the pan, your water should be coming to a boil. Stir in a tbsp of salt and the pasta and cook until the pasta loses it’s raw taste in the middle.
After the ham has browned, add in the garlic and red pepper flakes and stir until fragrant, then add in the olives, red peppers and frozen peas. Toss to combine and cook until the pasta is ready.
Once the pasta is done, drain and add it to the pan of cooking items, along with 1 ladle full of pasta water. Increase the heat in the pan, add the cooked bacon and toss to combine until the water cooks-off. Then, turn off the heat and move the pan off the flame.
Add half of the cheese and toss to combine. Let it cool for 2 minutes.
While the pasta mixture cools, whisk your eggs and yolk until blended. Season with some freshly cracked black pepper. Then pour the eggs over the pasta. Toss to combine. Add in the remaining cheese and parsley. Add in more freshly ground black pepper. Toss to combine and serve. ______________________________ Copyright 2021, Brendan McCann, All Rights Reserved.
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