Carbonara with Mushrooms and Leeks
Do you want a decadent pasta that isn’t an alfredo or vodka sauce? Is marinara not luscious enough for a date night? Do you want fancy breakfast for dinner? Every three months I rediscover carbonara and feel like I’ve invented it. It seriously hits all the right spots for a delicious dinner. While I will never quite perfect the flavor of the carbonara I had in Rome, I will keep trying.
What else can I really say about carbonara that hasn’t been stated? It’s delicious, easy to make, perfect for a treat-yo-self kind of night.
Egg yolk: I think some people are a little put off by the egg yolk. It will cook with the heat of the pasta and the pasta water, making it safe to eat. The challenge really comes with not scrambling your sauce. I share the secret to perfect carbonara sauce every single time below.
Mushroom: when you properly brown mushrooms, something incredible happens. The umami flavors just explode and will make you (almost) forget that guanciale or bacon exists. The secret here is to not crowd the mushrooms. They are full of water and if you cook them too closely together they will steam and get soggy. When you salt your mushrooms, do so halfway through their cooking process…and add a little more salt than you think you should. This will serve as our vegetarian guanciale.
Leeks: Sure, you could leave these out, but when Leeks are in season they add just the right amount of balance to the richness of the sauce. What’s more is they will stick to the strands of your pasta as you twirl it on your fork. The leeks with the mushrooms turn this from being a vegetarian fake version of carbonara into it’s own original and incredible plate.
How to Make the Perfect Carbonara Sauce Every Time:
The secret to perfect carbonara is to mix the sauce and the pasta in a separate bowl. While many recipes tell you to mix the sauce in the pan with the heat off, the temperature is inconsistent and can still easily scramble your eggs in the pan. The pasta should be fresh out of the water so it is hot enough to cook the sauce as you quickly stir. Use the hot pasta water to temper both the consistency and the temperature of the sauce.
Carbonara with Mushrooms and Leeks
Ingredients
- 1 cup cremini mushrooms
- 1 small leek
- 3 egg yolks
- 2 oz finely grated parmesan
- 8 oz spaghetti
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp coarsely ground black pepper
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a skillet. Gently wash and slice your mushrooms. Add the mushrooms into the pan, making sure not to crowd them. Generously add salt; we’re trying to resemble guanciale here. While your mushrooms are sauteing, slice your leeks and thoroughly rinse. Flip your mushrooms and add the leeks to the pan, stirring occasionally.
- In a saucepan, add about 1 liter of water. Salt it thoroughly and bring to a boil. Once your water is boiled, add the pasta and stir so they don’t clump together. Cook to package instructions and strain, reserving 1 cup of pasta water.
- In a separate large bowl, add three egg yolks, your parmesan, and your black pepper. Whisk together and add your pasta, stirring quickly to coat. As the sauce gets thicker, add some pasta water a tablespoon at a time until you reach your desired consistency.
- Plate your pasta. Add extra parmesan and black pepper and enjoy!
