There’s a place for slick, cream-filled Malaysian ‘carbonara’, which Alia loves. There’s also a time for the properly rendered bacon fat of the Italian carbonara, which she also loves. But when she doesn’t have cream or bacon for either kind, she makes this version. The double boiler method is borrowed from Serious Eats, and helps control the emulsion so you don’t end up with scrambled eggs.
Tableware by Ilham Ceramic Studio.
Onion & ghee carbonara for one
by Alia Ali
There’s a place for slick, cream-filled Malaysian ‘carbonara’, which Alia loves. There’s also a time for the properly rendered bacon fat of the Italian carbonara, which she also loves. But when she doesn’t have cream or bacon for either kind, she makes this version. The double boiler method is borrowed from Serious Eats, and helps control the emulsion so you don’t end up with scrambled eggs.
Tableware by Ilham Ceramic Studio.
Servings: 1
Servings: 1
Ingredients
100g dried linguine, or other long pasta
1½ tbsp ghee
1 large yellow onion, finely sliced
½ tbsp garam masala
1 whole egg
2 tbsp pecorino or parmesan-style hard cheese, grated finely
Directions
- Bring a pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions until just shy of your preferred doneness.
- Heat a skillet or pan over medium heat, and add ghee. Once it has fully melted and begins to shimmer, add in the finely sliced onion and garam masala. Fry until crispy and brown. Time this step so it is done before your pasta is done cooking. Turn off the flame and remove from heat.
- Once the pasta has cooked according to step 1, transfer the pasta to the skillet with the fried onions, but do not strain out the pasta water. Mix the pasta and the onion-spice mix well.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together the whole egg and grated cheese.
- Now, for the fun but tricky part. Place the mixing bowl over the still steaming pasta water (make sure the bottom of the bowl is not touching the water). Turn out the pasta mixture into the mixing bowl with the cheese and egg. Stir quickly with tongs until the sauce thickens and coats the strands of pasta evenly.
- Serve immediately.
Tips
- The onion can also be cooked until soft without taking on colour if you prefer your pasta sauce to be smoother.
- Use 2 egg yolks instead of 1 whole egg for an even richer sauce.
- Our preferred ghee brand is Amul, available online and in well-stocked Indian grocery stores.
Ingredients
100g dried linguine, or other long pasta
1½ tbsp ghee
1 large yellow onion, finely sliced
½ tbsp garam masala
1 whole egg
2 tbsp pecorino or parmesan-style hard cheese, grated finely
Directions
- Bring a pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions until just shy of your preferred doneness.
- Heat a skillet or pan over medium heat, and add ghee. Once it has fully melted and begins to shimmer, add in the finely sliced onion and garam masala. Fry until crispy and brown. Time this step so it is done before your pasta is done cooking. Turn off the flame and remove from heat.
- Once the pasta has cooked according to step 1, transfer the pasta to the skillet with the fried onions, but do not strain out the pasta water. Mix the pasta and the onion-spice mix well.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together the whole egg and grated cheese.
- Now, for the fun but tricky part. Place the mixing bowl over the still steaming pasta water (make sure the bottom of the bowl is not touching the water). Turn out the pasta mixture into the mixing bowl with the cheese and egg. Stir quickly with tongs until the sauce thickens and coats the strands of pasta evenly.
- Serve immediately.
Tips
- The onion can also be cooked until soft without taking on colour if you prefer your pasta sauce to be smoother.
- Use 2 egg yolks instead of 1 whole egg for an even richer sauce.
- Our preferred ghee brand is Amul, available online and in well-stocked Indian grocery stores.
