Showing posts with label cheese. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cheese. Show all posts

Friday, July 13, 2012

Spaghetti Carbonara

this is not rocket science, I watched an Italian guy make this one time, he was dating one of the girls who owned the house.  Handsome, Italian Accent, and fancy cooking (for college).  No wonder he had the girls...

1 LB spaghetti or linguini- nothing finer
4 cloves garlic chopped finely
4 strips of bacon or 1/4 LB Pancetta finely chopped
2 TBS olive oil
2-3  Eggs
1 cup grated hard Italian cheese
ground pepper

Boil the pasta to al dente or less 7-8 min
While the pasta is boiling, fry the bacon / pancetta until crispy in a large skillet
add the garlic and cook 1 minute more
whisk the egg and the cheese in a bowl
when the pasta is done, drain, reserving some liquid (put a bowl under the collander)
add the  past to the skillet and mix in all the bacon and grease
TRANSFER everything in the skillet back to the pasta pot.
stir in the egg and cheese mixture.
  you may want to heat the pot on low to aid the cooking process.
sprinkle with ground pepper

serve hot



Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Mac and Cheese

I have ruined my own children, they only like the Mac and Cheese in a box.
Because that is all I made for 10 years. May the culinary gods forgive me.

1 Box Pasta - Shells, Elbows etc.
1 8 oz. block SHARP cheddar, grated and DIVIDED
4 oz Swiss or other cheese... could be cheddar, american... check the ice box
1 - 2 C chopped leftover ham
1 egg
12 - 16 Ritz crackers, crushed or 1/2 C breadcrumbs

6x6 roux = 6 TBS butter 6 or 7 TBS flour
3 C milk or a combo of Milk and half and half or cream (using up ingredients here)

2 TBS butter
1/2-1 tsp salt
1/2-1 tsp pepper
1/2-1 tsp hot paprika or cayenne

grease (butter) a pyrex(r) brownie pan (8x11)

preheat oven to 375 (400 for a crispier crust?)

sautee crackers or beadcrumbs in remaining butter

make a roux by heating 6 tbs butter and blending in 6 tbs flour
add milk slowly, stirring
stir in 1/2 cheddar and other cheese + egg while stirring until thick and creamy
stir in spices
pour 1/2 noodles in pan
pour 1/2 sauce mixture over noodles
add all of ham, spreading over noodles
add other half of cheddar cheese, spreading over noodles
add remainder of sauce

top with cracker / breadcrumb mixture

bake for 30 min at 375.