Spaghetti alla Carbonara alla Daphne
I've had Spaghetti alla Carbonara in Britain quite often. Spaghetti with bits of bacon and a kind of white eggy sauce which I liked a bit, but not a lot.
When we were in Italy I had it several times and I liked it a lot more. The sauce was less white and more - - well - - eggy.
So when we got back, I thought I'd have a go at making it. Delia Smith gives a recipe here: - but hey, what does she know? Okay, quite a lot - - but I wanted a simpler version and here it is.
Three eggs
90 grams of spaghetti per person plus a few extra bits that were heading out of the packet
a large pan of boiling water
a packet of lardons (those are bits of bacon and you find them everywhere in France and now they're to be found here too)
a frying pan
some olive oil
a tiny drop of milk
a bit of Proper British Cheese - I used Double Gloucester because that's what there was in the fridge, and because I like it
So:
1) Put the spaghetti into the boiling water and shout at it a bit until it bends round nicely and starts to cook
2) Beat the three eggs and add a tiny amount of milk and a bit of grated cheese
3) Fry the lardons in some olive oil till they're just about crispy and make a delicious bacon-is-cooking smell
4) When the spaghetti is cooked, drain it in a colander and put it back in the pan that it cooked in and leave this pan on a gentle heat for a moment
5) Add the lardons and oil etc from the frying pan
6) Add the beaten eggs mixture
7) You may at this point wish to consider Black Pepper. It's horrid, if you ask me, so don't put any in
9) Stir it all together at top speed until the egg cooks
10) Dollop it out onto plates
11) If you have any Parmesan Cheese, don't on any account put it on top, because it's another horrid thing with a really vile smell and why people like it I really don't know
12) Eat the Spaghetti alla Carbonara alla Daphne
And here's the result (before it was eaten, obviously)
Modesty doesn't prevent me from saying it was Jolly Nice.
Hints and Tips:
a) You can't really taste the cheese - - it just kind of brings out the flavour
b) Preparation Time: From leaving the office down the corridor to thinking hey, I'm really very hungry now - - about fifteen minutes
c) Fat Content: Well, quite a lot but a LOT LESS THAN DELIA'S
d) Calories: Well it was very filling but nowhere near as rich as Delia's so a LOT LESS THAN DELIA'S
Yes, we'll be having it again. Can I have my own telly series now?
When we were in Italy I had it several times and I liked it a lot more. The sauce was less white and more - - well - - eggy.
So when we got back, I thought I'd have a go at making it. Delia Smith gives a recipe here: - but hey, what does she know? Okay, quite a lot - - but I wanted a simpler version and here it is.
Three eggs
90 grams of spaghetti per person plus a few extra bits that were heading out of the packet
a large pan of boiling water
a packet of lardons (those are bits of bacon and you find them everywhere in France and now they're to be found here too)
a frying pan
some olive oil
a tiny drop of milk
a bit of Proper British Cheese - I used Double Gloucester because that's what there was in the fridge, and because I like it
So:
1) Put the spaghetti into the boiling water and shout at it a bit until it bends round nicely and starts to cook
2) Beat the three eggs and add a tiny amount of milk and a bit of grated cheese
3) Fry the lardons in some olive oil till they're just about crispy and make a delicious bacon-is-cooking smell
4) When the spaghetti is cooked, drain it in a colander and put it back in the pan that it cooked in and leave this pan on a gentle heat for a moment
5) Add the lardons and oil etc from the frying pan
6) Add the beaten eggs mixture
7) You may at this point wish to consider Black Pepper. It's horrid, if you ask me, so don't put any in
9) Stir it all together at top speed until the egg cooks
10) Dollop it out onto plates
11) If you have any Parmesan Cheese, don't on any account put it on top, because it's another horrid thing with a really vile smell and why people like it I really don't know
12) Eat the Spaghetti alla Carbonara alla Daphne
And here's the result (before it was eaten, obviously)
Modesty doesn't prevent me from saying it was Jolly Nice.Hints and Tips:
a) You can't really taste the cheese - - it just kind of brings out the flavour
b) Preparation Time: From leaving the office down the corridor to thinking hey, I'm really very hungry now - - about fifteen minutes
c) Fat Content: Well, quite a lot but a LOT LESS THAN DELIA'S
d) Calories: Well it was very filling but nowhere near as rich as Delia's so a LOT LESS THAN DELIA'S
Yes, we'll be having it again. Can I have my own telly series now?
posted by Daphne at 6:44 pm
12 Comments:
Just give Shropshire Blue a go...
that is really something.
"Pasta from Shropshire" How English can you get?
Hey, that sounds really nice. I think I might try it - I'm sure Keith would love it. ;)
If 11) and a) were for my benefit, thank you.
I prefer my recipe.
1) Take 90g of spaghetti, some lardons (tee hee) and 3 eggs and keep them in a safe place well away from Daphne.
2) Instead take a large slab of raw beef and slap it on a grill.
3) Once cooked to the degree of choice, add chips and peas.
4) Eat.
Lots of fat, tons of calories and bloody delicious. Sorted.
Bernard - yes, I'd probably like Shropshire Blue, I like most cheese except the vile Parmesan.
Jenny - - it WAS really nice. A sort of Italian bacon and eggs.
Silverback - they were. Though I hate Parmesan too. And black pepper. Thinking about it, your book "Silverback's Favourite Recipes" would ALL involve taking any ingredients, putting them to one side and replacing them with steak. - - Actually I think I might buy a copy.
I didn't know you hate black pepper and parmesan - I love both. As a veggie, I obviously won't be trying you recipe but am glad to have read the detail, especially shouting at the spaghetti until it bends nicely. I usually do waving it around in the water whilst pushing down gently until it goes into a lovely circle - seems to work for me.
Ruth - waving it around in the water may be effective, but I find that shouting at it is more cathartic.
Our family uses freshly grated Romano cheese instead of the vile Parmesan.
I am soliciting funds even as we speak to produce a new motion picture called Julie and Julia and Daphne. Meryl Streep will play Daphne in this one.
And now it's time for "Cooking With Daphne"
Cue theme music (The "Jaws" theme will do)
DAPHNE "Eyup theer and welcome back to my kitchen in Leeds. Today we're mekkin some kind of stew. Burrow around in your fridge and freezer for some meat and veg and that. Chop it up and shove in a pan. Leave to simmer for half an hour while you go and watch Jeremy Kyle on TV. Come back. Pour into bowls and eat. Eeee it's right lovely! Any gristle you can leave ont side of plate for dog..."
Eat your heart out Nigella!
Bob - I've never tried Romano cheese but I bet I'd like it. Meryl Streep can play me if she likes, though I'm taller and slimmer than she is, of course.
Yorkshire Pudding - - although the television series would be a most welcome addition to my income, I feel I should remind you that I went to a Gels' Grammar School and hence talk what may best described as Yorkshire Posh. I wouldn't mind being the next Nigella, though I'm taller and slimmer than she is, of course.
I'd eat it. Anything with bacon is a winner in my book.
Ian will insist there is no cheese in the dish though.
Silverback, maybe you need to think about your diet and all that saturated fat a bit more!!
I do think about it, Jenny.
I love it !
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