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Spaghetti Alla Carbonara

Incredible! As soon as I published the recipe of the 'Amatriciana', millions of readers asked me to post another one of my favorites! Here is the one for 'Spaghetti Alla Carbonara'!

Ingredients:

• 1 pound dry spaghetti (Barilla or De Cecco)
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 ounces pancetta or slab bacon sliced into small strips
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano, plus more for serving
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 
  
• Directions:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add the pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until tender yet firm (as they say in Italian "al dente.") Drain the pasta well, reserving 1/2 cup of the starchy cooking water to use in the sauce if you wish.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a deep skillet over medium flame. Add the pancetta and saute for about 3 minutes, until the bacon is crisp and the fat is rendered.  

Add the hot, drained spaghetti to the pan and toss for 2 minutes to coat the strands in the bacon fat. Beat the eggs and Parmesan together in a mixing bowl, stirring well to prevent lumps. Remove the pan from the heat and pour the egg/cheese mixture into the pasta, whisking quickly until the eggs thicken, but do not scramble (this is done off the heat to ensure this does not happen.) Thin out the sauce with a bit of the reserved pasta water if necessary, until it reaches the desired consistency. Season the carbonara with freshly ground black pepper and taste for salt. Mound the spaghetti carbonara into warm serving bowls and pass more cheese around the table. 

Buon Appetito and.... while cooking, don't answer the phone!

My Favorite Recipe

Some of my readers asked me about my favorite recipe and so I decided to take a break from 'traveling' and sit at my table to eat my favorite pasta dish:

Bucatini all’Amatriciana

This typically Roman pasta dish was traditionally made with guanciale, but since that ingredient used to be very hard to find outside of Italy, and the Lazio region in particular, pancetta has become a common substitute. Guanciale can now be found at certain specialty food stores here in America. While you can still make a great Amatriciana with pancetta, if you are able to find guanciale, you should try using it at least once. Made from cured pork jowl, guanciale is softer and has a higher ratio of fat than pancetta, resulting in a richer sauce. That being said, with either ingredient it is still my favorite pasta dish. Actually, I sometimes use Pork & Bacon Ends & Pieces that I buy at the local Ranch Direct store where I live. It is lightly smoked and gives the sauce a very unique flavor. So no need to get too caught up in being “traditional”.

Prep time: 10 min | Cook time: 40 min | Total time: 50 min

Serves 4

2 tblsp of olive oil
1/4 of a pound pancetta or guanciale, chopped
1 small yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
1/4 teaspoon of red pepper flakes
1 28 oz can of imported Italian tomatoes
salt to taste
1 pound of Bucatini pasta (I suggest De Cecco if available in your area)
1/2 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese

1.      Heat olive oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add the pancetta or guanciale and cook, stirring often, until goldenbrown, about 10 minutes. Add the onion and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and saute until garlic is golden, about 1 minute longer.

2.      Crush tomatoes and add with juices to pan. Add salt pepper and a little water. Bring to a simmer and cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens, about 15 to 20 minutes.

3.      While the sauce is cooking, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 1 tablespoon of salt and the bucatini. Cook uncovered over high heat until al dente.

4.      Drain the pasta, then add the pasta and 1/4 cup of the Pecorino Pomano to the sauce in the saucepan and toss well. Transfer to warm serving plates and serve immediately, with the remaining Pecorino Romano on the side.

Let me know what you think. Buon Appetito!

The Centovalli Railway Experience

While visiting the North of Italy you may get fascinated by the beauty of our mountains, the Alps, and you may want to do something special. Here is a tip for something unforgettable and definitely affordable to most of us: take a trip to Lake Maggiore or to the surrounding region; take a train to Domodossola and buy a ticket for the Centovalli railway. Here I am giving you directions on what to do and where to go:

From the Italian website:

CENTOVALLI RAILWAY "VIGEZZINA"

By 1923 this narrow-gauge railway runs between the towns of Domodossola (Italy) and Locarno, (Switzerland).

The railway winds through the Vigezzo Valley, Italy, and the Centovalli in Ticino, in an area of high environmental value and landscape made of green valleys and deep gorges carved by streams, and quiet Alpine pastures and dizzying bridges.

Individual tickets or special fares for groups are available: one-way travel from Domodossola to Locarno or vice versa and round-trip travel.

The one-way trip, from a Terminal to another, requires a little less than two hours. It is possible to make a stop along the way for lunch and a visit to the surrounding area.

For groups, booking is mandatory.

For timetables: check out the tab in the company website.

For the Tour by train + Ferry: see the special section “Lago Maggiore Express”.

I did this with my wife - train to Locarno and return by ferry to Domodossola - and we really enjoyed the experience.

For quotes and reservations (only pre groups of at least 20 participants): claudia@lagomaggioretour.com

From the Swiss Railway website:

Experience a spectacular train journey through 100 valleys with the Centovalli railway.

The Centovalli railway is part of the shortest possible connection between the Valais and Ticino and travels from Domodossola to Locarno in just less than two hours. The nearly 60-kilometre narrow gauge track takes you through picturesque valleys, deep ravines, chestnut forests and vineyards. And from the individual stops, a variety of hikes and excursions offer fascinating opportunities to explore the region and its idyllic villages.

Benefit now: This offer is available from 1 December 2011 to 31 March 2012 as a fixed price offer starting from CHF 49. First come, first served!

This can be a unique experience for everybody, either you love the mountains or the lake, or both. It is absolutely inexpensive and not difficult. It takes the whole day but you can decide to spend few hours in the beautiful town of Locarno. Here you can take a walk to the marina where all the boats are docked and have a sack lunch on a bench. Don't forget your camera because the surroundings are absolutely spectacular!

Few Tips For Your Trip To Italy

Here are a few steps to follow to organize a trip to Italy without resorting to travel agencies.

1) Choose the destination and type the place to visit. This is the first and most important thing to do: If you choose a city of art you will spend days walking to see monuments and museums; if you choose a place along the coast then you will prefer to lay down on a beach; finally, if you choose a spa then the holiday will have a different twist.

2) Decide how you will reach the place. By rental car, train or plane.

· By car: check the website viamichelin.it. Inserting the point of departure and arrival, the site will search for you the best route to destination. You can customize your search by entering the type of fuel (gasoline or diesel) you will fill up the tank of your car with; by asking for the shortest or cheapest way to destination, by avoiding or preferring highways, ... The site will also give you the cost of toll roads and fuel. It's a great way to get information for all motorists.

· By train: check the Italian railways website (Trenitalia). If you want to travel by train, you can book and purchase your tickets in advance on their website. You can also make reservation for your seats. You can also find some interesting deals such as discounts from 30 to 15%. If you need information about the arrival or departure track or you need to check European trains, then try the German railways site (Die Bahn). You can book tickets directly online by paying with your credit card and avoiding the line.  

· By plane: check volagratis.it. Enter the departure and arrival locations, the time and number of passengers and the site will give you a list of available and cheapest flights and fares. For bookings, however, go directly to the airline's site and buy your tickets with your credit card. Remember, the sooner you make a reservation the better discounts will be available.

Now that you know how to get to destination, you need to find a place to stay.

3) Find a place to sleep. Also in this case check websites such as expedia.it or venere.com. You can get a list of hotels sorted by price; refine your search by picking the one as close as possible to the place where you will be hanging. Use these engines to draw up a list of hotels that look perfect for your needs, but don't book with them. Go directly to the hotel site if available. Often by paying directly and in advance you can find discounted rooms up to 80% compared to standard fare!

4) Other things to check. Search the internet for local transportation fares; how much is the daily, weekly or monthly pass to buses, metro or light trains lines. You may find discount cards to travel into town. Later, you might want to decide what you want to see and do: museums, monuments, landscapes. Check the cities', town’s, region’s websites for special discounts to places to visit. Same thing to find places to eat good and cheap. You can look for local restaurants at ilmangione.it. Here you can review restaurants where you have been and read other people’s comments about restaurants where you want to go. There is also a space to search for restaurants by location, type of cuisine, time and prices. Download a map of the city and place dots and marks with a pen by the places to see: you will be able to move faster and not to miss your favorite places. Remember, asking locals is the best way to find places and restaurants, especially if you manage to speak some words of Italian. If you do not speak any words or you are too shy to try, use a pen and a piece of paper with the name of the restaurant and say the magic words, “non caro, ma buono” (not expensive but good) and voila’ you have your information.   

Just A Remind To The Few.......

To my few readers,

I would like to invite you to participate to my blog with comments, notes, pictures, personal stories, travel experiences to Italy. Just let me know what you want to post and I will be more than happy to do it for you.

You can also compromise yourself by becoming one of my followers! It will not make you Italian but it will make 'me' happy.

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