Indulge in the classic Italian comfort food made effortlessly with the help of The CUBE freeze dryer. This timeless recipe combines al dente pasta with crispy bacon, creamy eggs, and savory Parmesan cheese, resulting in a rich and satisfying dish that's perfect for any occasion. Whether you're cooking for a cozy dinner at home or entertaining guests, our freeze dried Pasta Carbonara promises to impress with its authentic taste and effortless preparation.
Ingredients:
4 servings
3 Tbsp. kosher salt, plus more
4 oz. guanciale (salt-cured pork jowl), pancetta (Italian bacon), or bacon
2 oz. Parmesan or Pecorino Romano
4 large egg yolks
2 large eggs
Freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1lb. spaghetti, bucatini, or rigatoni
Preparation
Step 1- Heat 6 qt. water in a large pot over high. When water starts to steam, add 3 Tbsp. salt and cover pot with a lid (this will bring water to a boil faster).
- While you are waiting on the water, do a little prep. Remove 4 oz. guanciale from packaging and cut into about 1x¼" strips. Finely grate 2 oz. cheese and set aside one-quarter of cheese for later.
- Whisk 4 egg yolks and 2 whole eggs in a medium bowl until no streaks remain, then stir in remaining grated cheese. Add several cranks of pepper and set aside.
- Working next to pot, heat 2 Tbsp. oil in a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot over medium. Add guanciale and cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp around the edges, 7–10 minutes.
- Remove pot from heat. Using a wooden spoon, fish out guanciale and transfer to a small bowl. Pour fat into a heatproof measuring cup, then add back about 3 Tbsp. to pot. Discard any remaining fat.
- Step 6
- Cook 1 lb. pasta in boiling water, stirring occasionally, 2 minutes shy of package instructions. Just before pasta is finished, scoop out 1¾ cups pasta cooking liquid with same heatproof measuring cup.
- Add 1 cup reserved pasta cooking liquid to Dutch oven and bring to a boil over medium-high. Drain pasta in a colander, then transfer to Dutch oven.
- Cook pasta, stirring constantly and vigorously, until al dente and water is reduced by about half, about 2 minutes. Remove pot from heat.
- Whisk ¼ cup reserved pasta water into egg mixture, then very slowly stream into Dutch oven, stirring constantly, until cheese is melted and egg is thickened to form a glossy sauce. Season with salt, if needed. Thin sauce with remaining ½ cup pasta cooking liquid, adding a tablespoonful at a time, until it's the consistency of heavy cream (you most likely won’t use all of it).
- Mix in guanciale and divide pasta among bowls. Top with pepper and reserved cheese.
FREEZE-DRYING INSTRUCTIONS
- Spread evenly on trays lined with silicone mats. Or use a small cookie scoop to make dollops. Make note of the weight of the trays with food.
- Process according to freeze-dryer instructions.
- When finished freeze-drying, note the weight of the trays. The difference in weight of the trays before and after freeze-drying is the recommended amount of water needed to reconstitute.
TO RECONSTITUTE
Add recommended amount of hot water to casserole. Stir and let sit a few minutes until fully reconstituted. More, or less, than the recommended amount of water can be added to get the desired consistency.
