12-12-2012

Carbonara: forbidden to eat a little

The light-heartedness and the recipe of a great dish as seen by Pipero al Rex chef and maître

In Gianluca Biscalchin’s illustration, pasta car

In Gianluca Biscalchin’s illustration, pasta carbonara, an emblematic dish for Italian and Roman cuisine. Luciano Monosilio and Alessandro Pipero, respectively chef and maître at Pipero al Rex restaurant in Rome, tel. +39.06.48916798, will hold two lectures on Sunday February 10th at Identità Milano 2013: the first within Identità di pasta, the second as part of Identità di sala, In the dining room

There are many good dishes that are always good, and that’s about it. But there are also dishes for which it is worth risking your life, dishes that can change your stomach. One of these is pasta carbonara, a dish that even dieticians affirm it is «forbidden to eat just a little of». Freshly arrived in Rome from Albano Laziale, this is how our idea of including such a light-hearted dish in the menu was born. With the objective of selling it by weight because there are dishes you cannot eat in tiny portions.

As with all great inventions, this had to atone for the reverse side of the coin: too much success. But it did serve us to test the Roman gourmet (still a bit of a bigot). Besides, as we believe, there’s always something to learn from “negative” things. So this is how the video against carbonara was born, a way to say goodbye to sale by weight. As we always affirm, carbonara is a great dish but, ironically, it is the worst dish in our restaurant.

Recipe for 4 people
Ingredients
400 g of spaghetti
4 egg yolks (1 egg yolk every 100 g of pasta)
80 g of pecorino cheese
40 g of grana padano cheese
80 g of guanciale (pig’s cheek)
pepper to taste

Method
Cook the pasta for the time indicated on the pack, not more, not less. Whip the egg yolks in a steel boule with half of the mixed cheese and add some pepper to taste. Brown the guanciale in a pan (preferably an iron one, or a non-stick) until it becomes crispy. Put the residual fat to one side. As soon as the pasta is ready, drain it and put it the boule with the egg and cheese, remembering not to leave it on the flame. Mount with 30 more grams of cooking water, 60 grams of the guanciale fat previously drained, and the other half of the cheese plus pepper to taste. If the mixture is too liquid, add some more cheese to taste. Remember that carbonara needs to be served at room temperature. Sprinkle some more cheese and enjoy.


Chefs' life stories

Men who, for a moment, leave pots and pans to tell us their experience and point of view

by

Luciano Monosilio and Alessandro Pipero

chef and maître of Pipero al Rex in Rome, 1 Michelin star awarded on november 2012

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