THE BUDGET GOURMET

The Classic Bolognese Ragù according to the 'Accademia Italiana della Cucina'.

"With a solemn decree of the Accademia Italiana della Cucina – the Italian Academy of Cuisine, the present was notarized and deposited in the Palazzo della Mercanzia, the Chamber of Commerce of the City of Bologna on the 17th of October 1982."

Ingredients:

300 gr. beef cartella (thin skirt) [what is meant here is ground skirt steak, substitute with what's available].
150 gr. pancetta, dried [you could substitute diced prosciutto, salt pork or slab bacon]
50 gr. carrot
50 gr. celery stalk
50 gr. onion
5 spoons tomato sauce or 20 gr. triple tomato extract [or use tomato paste]
1 cup whole milk [I use half & half]
Half cup white or red wine, dry and not frizzante [not sparkling]
Salt and pepper, to taste.[freshly ground please!]
[Don't forget freshly grated parmigiano cheese].

Procedure:

The pancetta, cut into little cubes and chopped with a mezzaluna chopping knife, is melted in a saucepan; the vegetables, once again well chopped with the mezzaluna, are then added and everything is left to stew softly. Next the ground beef is added and is left on the stovetop, while being stirred constantly, until it sputters. The wine and the tomato cut with a little broth are added and everything left to simmer for around two hours, adding little by little the milk and adjusting the salt and black pepper. Optional but advisable is the addition of the panna di cottura of a litre of whole milk [this is a liter of milk reduced by half by simmering it, ] at the end of the cooking.

[You should serve this on fresh-made tagliatelle or fettuccine or use store bought fresh pasta like Putney Pasta brand].


Adapted from: http://www.itchefs-gvci.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=138&Itemid=856#
[quotes in brackets mine].

Pasta alla Carbonara

pronounced: car-boh-NAH-rah
makes aprox. 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 lb spaghetti, rigatoni or other pasta
• ¼ cup cream (optional)
• 4 eggs
• 1 lb pancetta, bacon, or prosciutto coarsely diced
• 1 medium onion (optional)
• 2 cloves of garlic, crushed and chopped (optional)
• 1 package frozen baby peas (optional)
• Salt and fresh cracked pepper - to taste
• Freshly grated pecorino romano, parmesan or asiago cheese.

Method:

1.Fill a large pot with cold water and add a handful or so of Kosher salt. Stir and taste; it should taste like seawater. Cover the pot and heat the water until it comes to a rolling boil.
2.Add the diced bacon or other to the pan and cook slowly over a low heat for 10 to 15 minutes, drain excess fat.
3.Add diced onion and garlic if using, cook until golden.
4.Drop the pasta into pot and cook according to package instructions, about 8 to 11 minutes or until 'al dente' - or tender but still firm to the bite.
5.Add frozen peas to pasta water during last few minutes if using.
6.While the pasta cooks, combine the eggs, cheese, cream (if using), and fresh cracked pepper in a bowl and beat with a whisk or fork until completely mixed.
7.Drain pasta reserving some of the cooking water on the side.
8.Immediately toss with the egg and cream mixture, bacon, onion and garlic.
9.Add a little of the cooking water if too dry. Serve right away, with additional grated cheese if desired.

Variations:

Substitute bacon with crumbled chicken or vegetarian sausage.
Make a cream sauce with onion, diced prosciutto or cooked ham to make "Pasta alla Papalina - the Pope's pasta.
Add shrimp and blanched cut asparagus or even green beans.

Copyleft (2010) The Budget Gourmet