Creamy Italian Carbonara with Smoked Salmon - Could be found in any fine Italian Restaurant
Italian Creamy Carbonara with Smoked Salmon
Don't let the name of this dish intimidate you. This carbonara recipe delivers in multiple ways not the least of which is the amazing and satisfying flavor. It's easy to make, using just one-pot and quick to cook. It's versatile too; you can easily turn this recipe into a one-dish meal by adding ingredients such as sautéed vegetables like broccoli, asparagus, cherry tomatoes, mushrooms, etcetera.
Makes: 2 to 4
Prep Time: 5 Minutes
Cooking Time: 20 Minutes
Suggested Tools:
· 1 – 4-quart sauce pot
· Chopping board
· Colander
· Small bowl
· Pasta spoon
. Measuring cups
. Measuring spoons
· Sharp knife
Ingredients:
· 10 ounces uncooked spaghetti (Use gluten-free or rice pasta for GF version)
· 3-4 ounces smoked salmon, chopped into quarter inch pieces
(It doesn’t sound like a lot but it’s very rich and a little goes a long way)
· 2 cups half-n-half
· 1 ½ cups parmesan cheese, grated, shredded or shaved
· 2 large room temperature egg yolks, slightly whisked
· 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
· 2 teaspoons garlic, minced
· 1/3 cup fresh basil, chiffonade strips (these are thinly sliced strips)
· Salt and pepper to taste
Optional: Toasted pine nuts (sprinkle on top of carbonara or individual plated dishes)
Instructions:
1. Cook the spaghetti per the package instructions in which it came. This should take about 12 minutes. Using a colander, drain the water from the spaghetti, (save a half-cup or so for potential use later to thin sauce if desired) and let sit until step 4.
2. Add the olive oil to the same pot the spaghetti was cooked in and heat on med-low for about one minute; then add the chopped garlic and heat up another minute, but don’t allow the garlic to brown (it gets bitter when browned).
3. Add 1 cup of the half-n-half to the garlic and heat on medium-low to medium heat, but do not allow the cream to bubble. Briefly remove the pot from the heat and add the whisked egg yolks in a fine stream into the cream and whisk quickly to combine well.
4. Return the pot to the heat and add the parmesan cheese, stir a bit and then add the cooked spaghetti and continue to stir to combine. Add the remaining half-n-half and stir gently to combine and create the creamy mixture. Salt and pepper to taste.
Tip: If the sauce is thicker than you wish, you can always thin it by adding either a little milk or a couple tablespoons of your spaghetti water.
5. Add the bits of salmon and fold in gently.
6. After plating, sprinkle the carbonara with the basil.
Optional: Sprinkle the top of the carbonara with toasted pine nuts.
The Crooked Ladle
Savor the taste