Restaurateur Fortunato Mazzone’s latest venture, Vee and Forti Wine Bar and Liquor Emporium in Pretoria serves Italian charcuterie platters, among other Italian delicacies.
He shares this classic carbonara recipe perfect for fireside evenings.
Ingredients
(Serves 2)
250g fresh or dried egg-based pasta (fettuccine or tagliatelle)
50ml extra-virgin olive oil
100g pancetta or very fatty streaky bacon
100g parmesan cheese, grated (or pecorino for purists)
3 large eggs
Pinch of sea salt and 1tbsp of freshly grated black pepper
Pinch of mixed microherbs for garnish
Method
Place the pasta in briskly boiling, salted water.
Fry the diced pancetta in olive oil on a medium heat. It must become crispy and curly. Use tongs to remove the pasta from the water, taking care not to drain all the water as the moisture will be necessary for the sauce’s creaminess. Don’t use cream at any point!
Stir the pasta into the oily pancetta and season with salt and black pepper. Remove the pan from the heat. Use a fork to quickly break up the eggs in a bowl and stir with the grated parmesan to form a cheesy, eggy cream. Pour out of the bowl slowly and then stir into the pasta in the pan, coating it with the mixture without scrambling the egg. Add a spoonful or two of the cooking water to emulsify the eggs and stir or toss rapidly.
Serve immediately with a grind of black pepper and a sprinkling of parmesan. Garnish with micro herbs to make it look pretty. If it is too dry, add a tablespoon or two of the hot pasta water for creaminess.
Vee and Forti Wine Bar and Liquor Emporium is one of Mzansi’s must-visit spots for a European gourmet experience, writes journalist Mart-Marié du Toit in Feelingà la Europe, published in our June issue, which hits the shelves on 19 May.
Giveaway
One lucky reader could win a luxurious winetasting and charcuterie board for four people at Vee and Forti Wine Bar and Liquor Emporium in Pretoria. This prize is non-transferable and is valued at R2 500.
How to enter
Fill in the entry form for Vee and Forti Wine Bar and Liquor Emporium below.
Entries close on 14 June 2023.
Recipe: Supplied by Vee and Forti Wine Bar and Liquor Emporium
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