Carbonara, a typical dish of the Roman tradition, is famous all over the world so much so that it is celebrated on a day dedicated to it: 6 April, in fact, is Carbonara Day. If many are still stuck on the dilemma of bacon or bacon, others have decided to reinterpret the dish with signature recipes and other stranger ones. From the Healthy version we arrive at the Donuts or “walking” version. For those who are tired of the official version, here are eight tasty and original variations to try (THE ORIGINAL RECIPE).
The signature carbonaras: the Healthy version
Carbonara Healthy was born from the collaboration between chef Kotaro Noda and nutritionist Domenicantonio Galatà for health-conscious tasters. The ingredients for 4 people include: 320 grams of dried pasta, 4 eggs, 160 grams of bacon cut into julienne strips, 60 grams of pecorino cheese, one gram of pepper, 3 grams of salt and inulin. It takes a lot of time to prepare it. First you need to remove the rind and degrease the bacon in the oven at 120° for 2 hours. Then it is finished with a knife and cut into julienne strips. To eliminate excess fat, the bacon should be browned over a low heat in a pan, dabbing it with frying paper. Beat the eggs in a bain-marie bowl until they reach 62° and season with pepper. Add the bacon and leave to marinate. Cook the pasta in boiling water, drain it and pour it into the bowl, mixing it with the other ingredients and adding 20 grams of pecorino cheese. Before serving, garnish with the remaining pecorino.
With asparagus carpaccio
A spring version of the typical Roman dish was created by chef Tommaso Arrigoni, who combined the original ingredients of egg and bacon with asparagus. The ingredients for 4 people are: 240 grams of paccheri, 40 grams of pecorino romano, 4 egg yolks, 12 slices of bacon, 30 grams of Grana Padano, pepper, 4 large asparagus and extra virgin olive oil. Start by peeling and cutting the asparagus very thinly using a mandolin. Once cut, store them in water and ice. Cut the slices of bacon, also very thin, and brown them in a non-stick pan until they become golden and crispy. Dry them with absorbent paper and store them. Cook the paccheri in salted water and mix the egg yolks with the Grana Padano and the pecorino. Add a ladle of warm water to obtain a cream and pepper. Drain the pasta and season it with the egg yolk and cheese cream. Drain the asparagus, dry them well and season them with oil, salt and pepper. Prepare the carbonara dish by decorating it with asparagus and crispy bacon.
Lake carbonara
Fish replaces bacon in chef Leandro Luppi’s recipe. The ingredients for 2 people are: 10 yellow shells, 10 black shells, 250 grams of fresh cream, 140 grams of eggs (about 2 large), 115 grams of white trout or whitefish fillet, 10 grams of salt, 25 grams of butter , 12 grams of sugar and extra virgin olive oil. To marinate the fish you need to mix salt and sugar and put half of it on the bottom of a steel plate. Place the fish fillet on top and cover with the other half of salt and sugar. Close with a lid and leave to marinate in the refrigerator for 12 hours. Rinse the fish with cold running water for at least 15 minutes, then dry it well and cut it into cubes. For the carbonara base, pour the fresh cream into a saucepan and let it reduce by 50% over a low heat. Pour the reduced cream into a non-stick pan, add the eggs, mix well and cook until the mixture starts to scramble. Pour the mixture into a blender glass and keep warm at 60°. Cook the pasta and start browning the marinated fish cubes in a pan with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil until they become crispy. Drain the pasta, put it in a pan with the butter and a ladle of cooking water, mix well until it creates a cream, add the pepper. Emulsify the base of the carbonara with the blender until it becomes a cream and divide it on the bottom of 2 plates where the pasta and pieces of browned fish should also be placed.
Carbonara on the go
Barbara Agosti, during the 2019 edition of Masterchef, presented her “Strapazzo di Eggs”, a stick of carbonara to eat as if it were ice cream. The ingredients for 4 people are: 200 grams of spaghetti, 80 grams of bacon, 100 grams of grated pecorino, 5 eggs, 100 grams of cooking cream, salt, pepper, breadcrumbs and seed oil for frying. In a large bowl, pour three eggs, salt, pepper and 40 grams of pecorino. Mix until creamy. Cut the bacon into strips and brown them in a non-stick pan until they become crispy, transfer them to the egg and pecorino cream together with the fat. Mix for a few minutes with a wooden spoon and set aside. Prepare a second cream with 60 grams of grated pecorino and 100 ml of cream. Pour the two creams into a saucepan and mix over low heat until blended. Bring the water to the boil in a saucepan and cook the spaghetti for about 4 minutes. Drain and cool in a bowl with water and ice. Cut the spaghetti into 6-7 cm long threads. Season the pasta with the two creams and transfer everything into 4 ice cream molds. Insert the wooden sticks and leave to cool for 25 minutes in the freezer. Dip the carbonara ice creams in the beaten egg and then in the breadcrumbs twice. Finally fry in plenty of oil and serve.
The strangest recipes: lobster carbonara
Lobster carbonara is a recipe that comes from Australia. The ingredients for two people are: 2 mushrooms cut into large strips, 3 slices of diced bacon, 1 chopped garlic clove, 1 teaspoon of white wine, 150 grams of sour cream, 1 teaspoon of pepper, 50 grams of grated cheese , 4 small onions cut into pieces, two lobster tails, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 tablespoon of butter, 1 pinch of salt, 1 teaspoon of white wine, 2 egg yolks, 200 grams of spaghetti. Boil the pasta and lobster in two separate pots. Pour a spoonful of oil into a pan, add the lobster and bacon, then the butter, mushrooms, garlic and salt. Cook until mushrooms soften, about 3-4 minutes, remove from pan and set aside. Clean the pan, add a drizzle of oil, add the white wine, spaghetti and cream and mix. Add the cheese. Remove from the heat, add the egg yolks one at a time, mixing quickly. Add bacon and mushrooms, mix and serve alongside the lobster.
Carbonara donuts
The reinterpretation of the Roman dish in an American format was created by an Italian couple who live in New York and opened the Pop Pasta restaurant. The couple have never revealed the real recipe for their carbonara donuts, but a “homemade” version could be made by preparing an original carbonara pasta and inserting the already seasoned spaghetti into the donuts brushed with oil. Bake for a few minutes and try.
Spaghetti carbonara sandwich
The idea of creating a carbonara sandwich comes from the food blogger Michela Carta and to make it you need: 60 grams of spaghetti, 30 grams of smoked bacon, 1 tablespoon of pecorino or parmesan, 2 slices of bacon, 2 slices of bread, 1 egg, pepper, extra virgin olive oil. While the water is boiling, pour the egg onto a plate and beat it with a fork, adding salt, pepper and grated cheese. Heat a drizzle of oil in a non-stick pan and toast the bread slices on one side only. In the same pan, brown the bacon well and set it aside. Then brown the diced bacon too. Cook the pasta and drain it al dente and season it with egg and browned bacon. Place the pasta on a slice of bread with bacon, close with the other slice of bread and serve.
Carbonara sour
Carbonara has become a cocktail in the Co.So recipe. Cocktail&Social in Rome. To make the drink you need: vodka with hints of bacon, lemon juice, sugar syrup, egg white, a sprinkling of pepper and a straw made of Neapolitan zita pasta.