Spaghetti Carbonara

It's so fast and so delicious. I could have this for dinner every night, no exaggeration. There is many a night when I get home from work late and I'm starving - Spaghetti Carbonara is the perfect way to fend off the urge to order take out. Most restaurant Spaghetti Carbonara I find to be too rich and heavy - traditionally the recipe does not call for any cream or milk. Actually, the way to achieve the silky creaminess is actually through the egg. The heat of the cooked pasta actually cooks the eggs and together they make a gorgeous silky sauce that perfectly coats the noodles. There are only a few ingredients, which is all the more reason to make sure that they are of the best quality possible. All you need are eggs, Parmesan cheese (make sure it's the good stuff), onion, bacon (I like thickly sliced and very smoky), and spaghetti, sometimes I add peas. I don't always have bacon around, but when I do I make sure to save the rendered bacon fat (it can keep in the freezer for months).

Spaghetti Carbonara
Serves 1-2 ppl
1 egg, beaten
1/2 C finely grated Parmesan cheese
2 slices of bacon (or 2 Tbs bacon fat)
1/2 chopped yellow onion
1/2 Lb spaghetti
Salt and pepper to taste

Boil a large pot of salty water. When the water comes to a raging boil throw in the pasta and cook until al dente.

Meanwhile, cook the bacon until crispy (see previous post on perfectly cooked bacon). Once the bacon is cooked, remove and set aside. Add the chopped onion to the bacon fat. Cook the onion until slightly browned. At this point you can add frozen peas. Salt and pepper to taste (remember that the bacon contains a good amount of salt so you will need less than usual).

In a large bowl beat together egg and cheese.

When the pasta is done drain and reserve 1 C pasta water. Vigorously toss the pasta with the egg mixture. Add the onions and peas. If the pasta seems too dry add some of the pasta liquid 1-2 Tbs at a time.

Serve immediately with some grated Parmesan cheese.

Indonesian Soy Sauce - Nector of the Gods

I have never met a person who didn't love Indonesian soy sauce. It's the consistency of chocolate syrup and is sweeter than regular soy sauce. The best part is it's versatility. It goes with all meats and veggies, it can be drizzled on top as a finishing element or as a main sauce for the dish. There is something so wonderful and simple about drizzling it over some white rice. It can be difficult to find (at specialty Asian grocery stores) but it's usually dirt cheap and can last for a while.

Indonesian Meatballs
Inspired by (and never quite as good as) my mother in law's
1 lb ground beef
1 egg
1 Tbs onion powder
1 Tbs garlic powder
S & P to taste
Indonesian Soy Sauce

Mix the meat, egg, onion & garlic powders together in a medium bowl. Add some salt and pepper to taste. Cook off one mini-meatball and test for seasoning.

In batches, cook the meatballs (approx the size of golf balls) in a saute pan with a little bit of oil to help the browning. Once all the meatballs are cooked, drain any excess oil and return them to the same saute pan. Drizzle with enough Indonesian soy sauce to cover the meatballs. Continue to cook them together until the sauce becomes very think and coats the meatballs evenly. You may need to add more sauce at the end to create extra sauce.

Serve as a main dish with white rice.

Serve as an hors' dourves with toothpicks and some reserved soy sauce for dipping.