Skip's Food Blog: Pasta alla Carbonara

s we get closer to Thanksgiving, it seems appropriate that I commemorate the spirit of the holiday, if not the day itself, by having a dish of Pasta alla Carbonara. I'd love to have a dish of Pasta alla Carbonara on Thanksgiving Day—in fact, I'd love to have a dish of Pasta alla Carbonara on any day—but once again, this year I'll be dining with more traditional minded folk, who can't seem to find a logical place on their menu for my adopted Thanksgiving entree.

Nevertheless, one of the things for which I give thanks at this time of year is having discovered Calvin Trillin. At a time when Craig Claiborne was writing in the New York Times about this or that three star chef in Manhattan, and people like Jinx and Jefferson Morgan were writing breathless columns for Bon Appetit, along comes a fellow who was writing about changing the national Thanksgiving Day dish from turkey to Pasta alla Carbonara. He knocked me off my pins. That was about twenty five years ago, and I haven't gotten back up yet.

When I discovered Calvin Trillin, it was a sort of validation of my own life to that point. Of course, I'll never be worthy to sharpen his pencils, but as early as 1969, I was scouring the island of Bermuda, looking for the best Bermuda Fish Chowder. And ten years later, I was in my first year of grad school, trying to figure out what Donald Knuth was talking about, and why speidies (marinated lamb skewers) remained within the confines of Broome County, N.Y. How could I not love the writing of a guy who talks about the best baked duck and dirty rice in Opalousas, LA., or the local Mozzarella on the island of Santo Prosciutto in the Italian West Indies?

So among the myriad things for which I give thanks on this Thanksgiving, I will extend my gratitude to Calvin Trillin. And when I have a Thanksgiving meal—and I know that day will come—that features Pasta alla Carbonara rather than turkey, I'll have a third helping.

Pasta alla Carbonara

Pasta alla Carbonara

Ingredients:

4 Oz. Pancetta, diced (see note)
3 Large eggs
1/3 Cup Parmigiano, freshly grated
Freshly ground black pepper
1 Lb. Spaghetti
4 Tbs. Flat-leaf Italian parsley, finely chopped

Preparation:

Bring a large pot of salted water (at least six quarts) to the boil.

While the water is coming to the boil, saute the pancetta over medium heat, just to render some of its fat.

Break the eggs into a large bowl, and beat them thoroughly with a whisk or the back of a fork. Stir in the Parmigiano, and add ten or twenty grinds of pepper (approximately 2 tsp.) Add the pancetta to the bowl and reserve.

When the water boils, add the spaghetti, and cook until it just reaches the al dente state. Drain in a collander, and immediately add to the bowl with the egg mixture.

Toss vigorously with two forks, to coat the pasta with the sauce.

To Serve:

Divide the pasta equally among four dishes, and garnish with the chopped parsley.

Serves four.

Note: Romans make Pasta alla Carbonara with Guanciale (cured hog jowl) rather than pancetta. If you can find it in your local Italian deli, then by all means, have at it. Otherwise the pancetta is a fine substitute.