Carbonara – The King of Pasta

Spaghetti alla Carbonara is Italian Soul Food

As I sit here snacking on keto approved cauliflower crackers and sipping on carbonated water, my mind drifts back to happier times and happier places. Naturally, Italy is our happy place and dining on delicious plates of carbonara are our happy times.

When it comes to pasta dishes that I’ve enjoyed over the years… and there have been many, the traditional Roman style Carbonara stands out as my Official Italian Comfort Food.  

What makes a great plate of Carbonara?

It’s the simplicity of its ingredients! Let’s start with the pasta. Typically you will find that spaghetti, linguine and fettuccine are the popular go to pasta options. Winding these long, sauce catching strips of pasta around a fork is an important part of building anticipation for that very first delicious bite. Excuse me while I wipe the drool from my lips.

Choosing a good hard cheese is key for creating the overall flavor and texture of the dish. Pecorino or maybe Parmigiano-Reggiano are solid cheese choices, (excuse the pun).

To create the right sauce for the carbonara, you will need a couple farm fresh eggs and the hard cheese of your choice. These two ingredients give this tasty sauce the stickiness needed for it to cling to the pasta.

In order to elevate this pasta dish above all others, use the traditional Pancetta (belly) or Guanciale (cheek). These are the typical cuts of pork that are used. For me, Pancetta is the one. In my humble opinion, Guanciale is a bit too fatty. Don’t get me wrong, I will eat it and I will enjoy it but… I carry with me a fat aversion since childhood. It’s a quirk not easily overcome.

To put the crown on this wonderful pasta dish, you need to top it off with a dusting of the worlds number one spice. Pepper! Yes my friends, give that pepper grinder a good crank to make it an authentic dish of Spaghetti alla Carbonara. Buon Appetito!

If you would like to see how easy it is to make carbonara for yourself, check out this link.

And the runners up are….

I’m getting a vibe from the universe that possibly, just possibly, you may not agree with me regarding which pasta dish is, in fact, the King of Pasta!

To appease the masses, I’ll offer up my runner up pasta dishes which, in their own right, are molto bellissimo.

Pasta al Pomodoro – Pasta with Tomatoes

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No matter which pasta noodle you choose, once topped with either a straight tomato sauce or bolognese sauce, it’s nothing less than fantastic! There is only one reason I can’t crown spaghetti al pomodoro as king. Frankly, it’s not the first food that comes to mind when I dream of cheating on keto. Carbonara is!

Frutti di Mare – Seafood Pasta

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As far as visually pleasing dishes go, it’s hard to beat a well plated seafood pasta dish. With a medley of fresh fish and pasta smothered in tasty tomato sauce, it’s a very popular choice. I for one, don’t particularly care for the fishy taste of these dishes but… my wife loves them!

Last but certainly not least

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Here we have a wonderful collection of pasta dishes using tortellini, tagliolini, fettuccine and spaghetti noodles. And let’s not forget the lovely lasagna noodle.

The variety of sauces used to bring pasta to life are infinite. Some of our favorites include, olive oil and garlic, white cheese, Alfredo and Porcini/ mushroom sauce. If you were wondering… yes they were ALL fantastic!

What’s YOUR favorite pasta?

Here’s your chance to enlighten me on the best pasta in Italia. Let me know what makes you say… Mamma mia, assolutamente delizioso.

I’m listening 🙂