A few simple touches to elevate a classic comfort dish.
Ingredients
24oz Fresh Spaghetti or Linguine Noodle (16 oz (450 g) dry pasta)
8oz (apron. 1.5cup) Pancetta or Bacon - Diced (reserve 4 thin sliced strips for garnish - if raw product cook to tend not well done -save for finishing garish)
4 Eggs
3 cups Broth of choice - Chicken, Pork, Parmesan, Vegetable (I like to make my own, but frozen or store bought works too)
4oz (4 heaping Tablespoon) Pecorino or Parmesan
1/4 cup Soffritto Confit (optional - recipe below)
2 Teaspoons Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Pepper
13/4-1.5 Cup Seasonal Vegetable - In photo I used Beans from my garden. Other good options: Asparagus, Snap Pea, Green Pea, Mushroom.
Microgreen of Choice for Garnish - In photo I used Pea Shoots
(Serves 4-6)
Directions
Soft Boiled Egg:
For a 5-minute soft-boiled egg with a runny yolk:
- Bring a pot of water to a gentle boil.
- Carefully lower the egg into the water with a spoon.
- Set a timer for 5 minutes.
- Keep the water at a gentle boil.
- Remove the egg and immediately place it in ice water for 1–2 minutes to stop the cooking.
- Peel and serve.
Tip: For a fridge-cold large egg, 5 minutes gives you a very runny yolk with a softly set white. For a slightly more set yolk, go 6 minutes. 🥚
Soffritto Confit Recipe:
Ingredients
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 1 carrot, finely diced
- 2 celery stalks, finely diced
- ½–1 cup olive oil
- 1 small garlic clove, optional
- Pinch of salt
- Fresh thyme or bay leaf, optional
The key: the soffritto should be a background layer of sweetness and savoury flavour, not the dominant flavour.
Method
- Add the onion, carrot and celery to a saucepan with the olive oil.
- Season lightly with salt.
- Cook over very low heat, uncovered, for about 30–45 minutes.
- Stir occasionally. You want the vegetables to slowly soften and become sweet, not brown.
- If they start colouring, lower the heat.
- Continue until the vegetables are completely tender and almost jammy.
- Remove the garlic and herbs if using.
Chef tip: For a true confit texture, use enough olive oil to generously coat and partially submerge the vegetables and keep the heat very low. It should gently bubble rather than fry.
Carbonara Step by Step Method:
- Reheat the egg by placing it in hot water for 5 mins, meanwhile...
- Cook the pancetta/bacon
Add the diced guanciale or bacon to a cold skillet. Cook over medium-low heat until the fat renders and the meat becomes golden and crisp. - Add the soffritto
Lower the heat and add about 1 1/2 cup of your soffritto confit to the rendered fat. Warm gently for 2–3 minutes. Don't brown it. - Add 3 cups broth, Salt & Pepper bring to lentil simmer reduce no more than 1/2 way.
- Cook the pasta in well-salted water until just shy of al dente.
- Combine pasta to the soffritto and broth
Add the drained pasta directly to the skillet. Toss well so the pasta gets coated. - Take it OFF the heat
This is important. Move the pan completely off the burner and let it cool for about 30 seconds. - Add the Pecorino or Parmesan and vegetable of choice
Add the cheese and veg to the pasta, tossing constantly. Add more pasta water if needed. - Distribute pasta into bowls, make "nest" for the egg. Finish with a little extra Pecorino, thin slice of cooked pancetta or bacon.
- Finish with microgreen garnish of choice