There are some dishes that I refuse to eat when I am far from the point of origin. Spaghetti Carbonara is one of those things. After discovering this dish made perfectly in Italy when I was in college, I was disappointed every time I tried to order it in the States. It was either too fancy, too soupy, or just wrong. I gave up years ago - deciding that I would only have this dish, with it's egg cooked only by the heat of the spaghetti, and it's delightful bacon when I am in Italy. Recipes I have tried for it have always disappointed. I could never achieve that effect where the pasta is almost dry, and the egg clings to the spaghetti in small clumps.
For Christmas, I received the Zuni Cafe Cookbook by Judy Rodgers. Yesterday was the first real chance I had to look through it. The pasta alla carbonara recipe caught my eye, and I decided to try yet another carbonara recipe. This rendition was a delight -- it was exactly what I have been seeking. Ms. Rodgers adds ricotta to the recipe. I have no idea if this is authentic, and I don't really care. It achieves the effect that I have been looking for all this time.
My notes on the recipe: Halving it yields plenty for two people. This recipe is going to be fantastic in the springtime, once the fresh peas are in season. I can't wait to try it then. Until that point, I used frozen peas.
