For those of you ordering the Smoking Goose Pancetta, I wanted to host some great pasta recipes for you. So here they are! Both recipes are from the NYTimes with 5 star reviews from over about 10000 people. So they should be pretty safe!
Pasta all’Amatriciana
INGREDIENTS
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
½ pound of unsliced pancetta or prosciutto
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium red onion, peeled and coarsely chopped
1½ pounds canned tomatoes, preferably imported Italian
½ teaspoon hot red-pepper flakes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pound dried bucatini or perciatelli
½ cup freshly grated pecorino, romano or Parmesan cheese
PREPARATION
Step 1 Cut the pancetta or prosciutto into chunks less than one-half inch thick. Place in a saucepan with the olive oil and fry over low heat for 15 minutes, until all the fat has been rendered out and the meat is very crisp. Remove the meat from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside.
Step 2 Add the onion to the pan and saute over medium heat for five minutes.
Step 3 Drain the tomatoes, finely chop them and add to the onion in the pan. Season with red-pepper flakes and salt and pepper to taste and simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Step 4 Meanwhile, bring a large pot of cold water to a boil and add salt to taste. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 9 to 12 minutes, depending on the brand. Drain well.
Step 5 Transfer the cooked sauce to a large heavy skillet over mediumhigh heat. Add the pasta and the reserved meat and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Remove the skillet from the heat, add the cheese and mix very well. Transfer the pasta to a warm platter and serve immediately
Spaghetti Carbonara
Ingredients
Yield:4 servings
Salt
2 large eggs and 2 large yolks, room temperature
1 ounce (about ⅓ packed cup) grated pecorino Romano, plus additional for serving
1 ounce (about ⅓ packed cup) grated Parmesan
Coarsely ground black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
3½ ounces of slab guanciale (see recipe), pancetta or bacon, sliced into pieces about ¼ inch thick by ⅓ inch square
12 ounces spaghetti (about ¾ box)
Preparation
Place a large pot of lightly salted water (no more than 1 tablespoon salt) over high heat, and bring to a boil. Fill a large bowl with hot water for serving, and set aside.
In a mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, yolks and pecorino and Parmesan. Season with a pinch of salt and generous black pepper.
Set the water to boil. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat, add the pork, and sauté until the fat just renders, on the edge of crispness but not hard. Remove from heat and set aside.
Add pasta to the water and boil until a bit firmer than al dente. Just before pasta is ready, reheat guanciale in skillet, if needed. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, then drain pasta and add to the skillet over low heat. Stir for a minute or so.
Empty serving bowl of hot water. Dry it and add hot pasta mixture. Stir in cheese mixture, adding some reserved pasta water if needed for creaminess. Serve immediately, dressing it with a bit of additional grated pecorino and pepper.
