Spaghetti alla Carbonara di Zucchine, a delightful vegetarian twist on the classic Italian pasta dish, is a symphony of flavors that will tantalize your taste buds. This delectable dish combines the creamy richness of carbonara sauce with the refreshing crunch of zucchini, creating a harmonious balance of textures and flavors. The carbonara sauce, made with eggs, Parmesan cheese, and pancetta or guanciale, provides a velvety coating to the spaghetti, while the zucchini adds a vibrant pop of color and a touch of sweetness. This recipe also includes variations for those with dietary restrictions, such as a vegan carbonara sauce made with plant-based ingredients and a gluten-free option using zucchini noodles. Get ready to embark on a culinary journey as we explore the step-by-step instructions to create this mouthwatering Spaghetti alla Carbonara di Zucchine.
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SPAGHETTI ALLA CARBONARA
For a quick dinner, whip up Tyler Florence's authentic Spaghetti alla Carbonara recipe, a rich tangle of pasta, pancetta and egg, from Food Network.
Provided by Tyler Florence
Categories main-dish
Time 25m
Yield 4 to 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Prepare the sauce while the pasta is cooking to ensure that the spaghetti will be hot and ready when the sauce is finished; it is very important that the pasta is hot when adding the egg mixture, so that the heat of the pasta cooks the raw eggs in the sauce.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add the pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until tender yet firm (as they say in Italian "al dente.") Drain the pasta well, reserving 1/2 cup of the starchy cooking water to use in the sauce if you wish.
- Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a deep skillet over medium flame. Add the pancetta and saute for about 3 minutes, until the bacon is crisp and the fat is rendered. Toss the garlic into the fat and saute for less than 1 minute to soften.
- Add the hot, drained spaghetti to the pan and toss for 2 minutes to coat the strands in the bacon fat. Beat the eggs and Parmesan together in a mixing bowl, stirring well to prevent lumps. Remove the pan from the heat and pour the egg/cheese mixture into the pasta, whisking quickly until the eggs thicken, but do not scramble (this is done off the heat to ensure this does not happen.) Thin out the sauce with a bit of the reserved pasta water, until it reaches desired consistency. Season the carbonara with several turns of freshly ground black pepper and taste for salt. Mound the spaghetti carbonara into warm serving bowls and garnish with chopped parsley. Pass more cheese around the table.
BEAUTIFUL ZUCCHINI CARBONARA
Steps:
- Carbonara is a classic pasta sauce made with cream, bacon and Parmesan and is absolutely delicious. Try to buy the best ingredients you can, as that's what really helps to make this dish amazing. I'm using a flowering variegated variety of thyme but normal thyme is fine to use. When it comes to the type of pasta, you can serve carbonara with spaghetti or linguine, but I've been told by Italian mammas (who I don't argue with!) that penne is the original, so that's what I'm using in this recipe.
- Before you start cooking, it's important to get yourself a very large pan, or use a high-sided roasting pan so you can give the pasta a good toss.
- Put a large pan of salted water on to boil. Halve and then quarter any larger zucchini lengthwise. Cut out and discard any fluffy middle bits, and slice the zucchini at an angle into pieces roughly the same size and shape as the penne. Smaller zucchini can simply be sliced finely. Your water will now be boiling, so add the penne to the pan and cook according to the package instructions.
- To make your creamy carbonara sauce, put the egg yolks into a bowl, add the cream and half the Parmesan, and mix together with a fork. Season lightly with salt and pepper and set aside.
- Heat a very large frying pan (a 14-inch is a good start - every house should have one!), add a good splash of olive oil and fry the pancetta or bacon until dark brown and crisp. Add the zucchini slices and 2 big pinches of black pepper, not just to season but to give it a bit of a kick. Sprinkle in the thyme leaves, give everything a stir, so the zucchini is coated with all the lovely bacon-flavored oil, and fry until they start to turn lightly golden and have softened slightly.
- It's very important to get this next bit right or your carbonara could end up ruined. You need to work quickly. When the pasta is cooked, drain it, reserving a little of the cooking water. Immediately, toss the pasta in the pan with the zucchini, bacon and lovely flavors, then remove from the heat and add a ladleful of the reserved cooking water and your creamy sauce. Stir together quickly. (No more cooking now, otherwise you'll scramble the eggs.)
- Get everyone around the table, ready to eat straightaway. While you're tossing the pasta and sauce, sprinkle in the rest of the Parmesan and a little more of the cooking water if needed, to give you a silky and shiny sauce. Taste quickly for seasoning. If you've managed to get any zucchini flowers, tear them over the top, then serve and eat immediately, as the sauce can become thick and stodgy if left too long.
- "Our agreement with the producers of "Jamie at Home" only permit us to make 2 recipes per episode available online. Food Network regrets the inconvenience to our viewers and foodnetwork.com users"
ZUCCHINI CARBONARA
Sautéed zucchini is a delicious way to make a rich dish like carbonara a little healthier-this recipe uses two parts vegetable to one part pasta. Another trick: Don't skimp on the extra egg yolk; the addition helps emulsify the sauce, so it reaches optimum creaminess and renders a flawless carbonara copy.
Provided by Lauryn Tyrell
Categories Food & Cooking Ingredients Meat & Poultry Pork Recipes
Time 35m
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- In a large skillet or braiser, heat oil, garlic, and pancetta over medium. Cook, stirring occasionally, until pancetta is just crisp, about 5 minutes. Add zucchini; season with salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 8 to 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, whisk together egg, yolk, cheese, and lemon zest. Season with a pinch of salt and several grinds of pepper. Cook spaghetti in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente (about 1 minute shy of package instructions). Reserve 1 cup pasta water; drain.
- Slowly whisk 2 tablespoons hot pasta water into egg mixture, then transfer pasta and egg mixture to skillet. Cook over medium heat, tossing vigorously and adding more pasta water as needed, 1/4 cup at a time, until sauce is silky and thickened, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in basil; season to taste. Serve, topped with more cheese.
Tips:
- To save time, use pre-cut zucchini noodles or spiralize the zucchini yourself using a vegetable spiralizer.
- For a creamier sauce, use heavy cream instead of milk.
- Add a sprinkle of red pepper flakes for a little spice.
- Garnish with fresh parsley or basil before serving.
- Serve immediately, as the zucchini noodles will soften over time.
Conclusion:
Spaghetti alla Carbonara di Zucchine is a delicious and easy-to-make vegetarian pasta dish that is perfect for a quick weeknight meal. The combination of zucchini noodles, crispy pancetta, creamy sauce, and Parmesan cheese creates a flavorful and satisfying dish that is sure to please everyone at the table.
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