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https://github.com/giannisalinetti/carbonara-as-code


https://github.com/giannisalinetti/carbonara-as-code

carbonara cooking recipes

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README 

        
# Carbonara as Code: an opinionated approach



## Ingredients

First rule: great raw materials make great dishes. This is especially true for

this minimal recipe where the super quality of ingredients is the key.



For 2 people you need:



- 300 gr of **pasta**, best choice are **mezze maniche** or **rigatoni** but you can use **spaghetti** if you like long pasta (but please, don't break them).

  Some of my favorite brands are: Mancini, Del Verde, Rummo. 

  Benedetto Cavalieri if you are cooking dinner for the man/woman you plan to propose. 

  Another great brand is Rummo:

  - http://www.benedettocavalieri.it/portfolio_category/pasta-di-semola-di-grano-duro/

  - http://www.pastarummo.it/en/

  - https://www.onlyitalianproducts.it/pasta/pasta-rummo/7196-spaghetti-grossi-n-5-pasta-rummo-.html

  - http://www.inpuntadiforchetta.com/spaghetti-n-3-pasta-rummo/

- 3 very fresh **eggs**. Better if organic. This implies a bit of personale taste: I now use egg yolk only, one and a half for each commensal. This leads to 3 eggs for 2 people.

  - https://www.eataly.net/it_it/uova-bio-canapa-e-lino-4pz-220g-olivero-claudio-199223

- a good, not too salty, **Pecorino** cheese. Here are some links to buy it online:

  - https://www.eataly.net/it_it/pecorino-romano-dop-400g-cibaria-80280 (best choice)

  - https://www.italy-foods.com/food-shop/formaggi-stagionati/175-pecorino-romano-dop-brunelli-85-kg-ca.html

  - https://www.salumieprodottitipici.it/en/cheese-and-dairy-/54-pecorino-romano-0656272496746.html

- **Guanciale** (pork cheek).

  - If you can't find it at a local grocery check out these links:

  - https://www.eataly.net/it_it/guanciale-amatriciana-400g-antica-ardenga-525885

  - https://www.italy-foods.com/food-shop/altri-salumi-affettati/26-guanciale-toscano-affettato.html?search_query=guanciale&results=3

  - https://www.amazingfood.it/en/guanciale-from-colonnata-kg-0-996-ca.html

  - https://www.sano-salumi.com/portfolio_page/il-guanciale-amatriciano/

- Salt and pepper. Better if you have raw pepper to freshly shred, it will preserve more taste.



As you can see there are absolutely no cream, no bacon, no hard-boiled eggs.



## Preliminary tasks



### Boil the water!

Fill a pot with water and add a good pinch of cooking salt and start boiling it.



### Guanciale 

Start slicing the guanciale: cut slices from the shorter side. Remove the rind before.

When you have 3/4 slices start making little pieces from them. Personal taste rules but generally they should not be too big nor too small. A measure of 40mm x 7mm x 7mm is a nice approximation.



Put the pieces in the a preheated pan: we want it to cook very slowly with absolutely

**NO OLIVE OIL NOR BUTTER**. Set a very moderate flame/temperature to avoid overburning it.

It will mold slowly and release its own grease. 



When the guanciale will be crispy and well cooked (but not burned), set the pieces aside and filter the bottom from the extracted grease. Put a part of grease aside to mix it with the eggs, leave the rest in the pan to cream the pasta later.



### Eggs

Bring a pot of water to 61°C (141.8°F), gently lay down the whole eggs with shell for 5 minutes. Remove the eggs and put them in 

a bowl with cold water and ice to stop the internal heating.

Open the eggs, collect the yolks and set aside the egg white. The eggs are now completely safe to eat thank to the pasteurization process. Add pepper and guanciale grease to the yolks and stir.



**Optional**: If you want you can make an extra pasteurization step using a metal bowl in bain marie. This is useful when you want an extra step of coagulation without cooking the egg excessively. Stir the eggs in the bowl while controlling the temperature under 60-63°C. 



### Pecorino

Start shredding the pecorino in a bowl. I don't give you an exact weight 

since it's a matter of taste. I like it abundant... :) 



Add the shredded pecorino to the eggs and stir to obtain a creamy paste. Set a little part aside to decorate the dishes.



## Core tasks

Check the guanciale, it should become a little crispy but not too much and it 

should have released a lot of grease. Don't overcook or it will become too dry and

thin, loosing the right consistence.

When it's done, take away 2/3 of the guanciale slices from the pan. You will use them

for the final topping when serving the dishes. Put some slices (4/5 pieces are enough) 

and a little spool of its grease in the egg and incorporate. 

This will help to not cook the egg too much later on. 



When the water boils (not before) add the pasta and cook it for the right time 

(the brands I suggested usually need 11-13 minutes). Cook it for two minutes less 

than the suggested time: during the mixing process in the pan the pasta will keep 

on cooking. Don't use a strainer since you want to keep some cooking water 

incorporated, it will help you to obtain a good cream.



Add a very little amount of water in the egg and stir. The purpose is to raise the egg

temperature a bit, without cooking it.



### Creaming time

Jump the pasta and the guanciale together for a minute. Add a first, lovely pinch

of shredded pecorino cheese and some more peper (carbonara without pepper is like

drinking alcohol free beer). Mix with care and energy at the same time. 

Also remember to save an extra glass of cooking water for later use if necessary.



My advice is to put the pan away from the flame since an excessive amount of heat 

will cook the egg too fast with an omelette-like result. Just toss the pasta in the

pan for one minute before adding the egg to slightly lower its temperature.



Put the eggs cream on the pasta and start mixing. The rule of thumb is simple: we just don't want to overcook the egg,

it should stay creamy.

When you get a creamy result you are ready to serve. The level of egg cooking is 

something very personal: some people prefer it very rare, some other well done.

I personally enjoy it very rare since it was already pasteurized before. If you prefer the egg to coagulate a bit more, you can try moving back and forth the pan from the fire/induction. 



Before serving add back the guanciale slices put aside before and let them 

incorporate the egg cream.



Add some other shredded pecorino and pepper if you like it, since the real taste 

of the carbonara is very strong with a lot of pepper. 

If it becomes too tight we can add a very small amount of cooking water and keep on mixing.



### Serving

Serve the pasta in you favorite dishes. Add some more guanciale slices on top of it.

Add a small amount of pecorino on the dish and pepper to decorate.



Your carbonara is ready. Taste galore!



## Feedbacks

Feel free to add PRs, issues, share the results, maybe send a photo!