Vegetarian Carbonara
Description
If you are a vegetarian or just want a pasta that is not so heavy, try this Carbonara. You don't have to be a vegetarian to enjoy it. Serve with a side salad and some breadsticks and you have a complete meal.
Ingredients
14-16 oz. spaghetti, rigatoni or other pasta of your choice (see Notes
1-2 cloves of garlic, peeled and slightly crushed, or half a yellow onion, finely minced
8 oz. zucchini, cut into slices or cubes
Olive oil
4-5 medium eggs
8 oz. grated pecorino romano cheese (or a combination of Parmesan and pecorino)
Salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper
Directions
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Cook the pasta in abundantly salted water until al dente.
While you are cooking your spaghetti, whisk the egg with grated pecorino cheese and lots of freshly ground pepper.
In a skillet, sauté the garlic until it is just slightly brown. Add the zucchini and continue over moderate heat, seasoning with a pinch of salt, until the zucchini is cooked and just lightly browned. If you’re using young, tender zucchini, this should take 5 minutes or less.
Once the pasta is cooked al dente, drain them (but not too well) and pour them into the skillet over very low heat. Make sure there is a bit of pasta water clinging to the pasta; if not, add a ladleful from the pasta pot.
Mix well and then add your egg mixture and mix again. Keep mixing until the eggs just being to thicken and form a creamy sauce that clings to the pasta. If you prefer (and these days I tend to like my carbonara this way) or if you are worried about contamination, you can continue a bit longer until the eggs actually set. In either case, remove from the heat as soon as it just bit less done than you want, as the eggs will continue to cook from the residual heat of the pasta.
Serve immediately in warm pasta plates, with additional pecorino and ground pepper to taste.
Serves 4-6.