Helloooo 2024 & Carbonara Recipe

A look back, a look forward + a carbonara recipe for the people

What a ride the past year, last few months, and especially weeks have been!!! I am definitely the type of person who is always go, go, go so it’s not often that I take the time to pause and reflect back but man what a year it has been!!

Exactly one year ago today, I was about 2 months deep into culinary school and just starting up my social pages. Flash forward 1 year and SO much has happened.

Here are some of the major highlights:

• Graduating from Culinary School at the Institute of Culinary Education

• Growing a community of over 1.2 MILLION followers across my social platforms

• Getting to speak at SXSW (South by Southwest) on behalf of an amazing nonprofit - Question the Quo

• Working and learning from the talented chef Rocco Sacramone at Trattoria L’incontro 

• Starting to work full time in food media & officially launching my own business #LLC 

• Completing my externship into working freelance for Delish Magazine

• Working my first few events as a private chef

• My dream partnership - Judging, demoing & working at the NYC Wine and Food Festival with Stella Cheese

• Getting to do some AWESOME collaborations with some amazing brands

• Spending three weeks eating my way through Italy and visiting family

• Meeting & connecting with so many new and old dear friends 

& with that the 2023 season has come to an end…. (sorry I had too, even though you’re definitely sick of that audio sound by now 🤣)

Now last year was undoubtedly a great one, but I’m ready for 2024 with LOTS of excitement and energy to make this one even better. This is the year of growth - personal and professional, risk taking, and travel/exploration into the unknown (both culinary and beyond).

A look ahead…at least for this month. Here’s some content you can expect & look forward to:

• My experience making my first beef welly aka Beef Wellington.

• Recaps of both 8 person private dinners I cheffed it up for last month (& some recipes from them😉)

• The ultimate fried chicken recipe

• 24 hour focaccia recipe

• Light & refreshing shrimp salad

• Some more cooking 101 episodes (think warm recipes → but the techniques behind them.)

• Realistic weeknight dinners I make for myself

Which are you most excited about?! Also, have a special request/suggestion? Let me know!!!

And now because I owe you sooo many recipes here is one of FAVORITES and a must have recipe - the ultimate classic pasta CARBONARA.

Let’s get into it:

The BEST creamy Carbonara

Ingredients:

• 4 oz Guancale, If you can't find traditional guanciale, pancetta and bacon can work as a substitute

• 1 cup freshly grated pecorino romano cheese

• 4 eggs, yolks and white separated I recommend pasture-rasied eggs

• 1 lb Buccatini, Spaghetti, Rigatoni or your favorite pasta

• Fresh Cracked Pepper, to taste

Steps:

1. Slice the guanciale into bite-sized pieces. Heat a skillet over medium heat, add the guanciale, and cook to render the fat and crisp up the pieces. Use a slotted spoon to remove the crispy guanciale onto a paper towel lined plate.

2. In two bowls, separate the egg whites and yolks. To the yolks, add the grated pecorino cheese and combine well (it should be thick and paste-like). Add about a tsp of the rendered fat from the guanciale.

3. Beat the egg whites using a whisk or mixer for a few minutes (1-3) until you achieve soft peaks and there is no liquid at the bottom of the bowl.

4. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add a good pinch of salt (but not too much because the guanciale and pecorino are already salty). Cook the pasta 2 minutes under al dente.

5. Remove all but 1 tbsp of the rendered fat from the pan you cooked the guanciale in. Crack some fresh black pepper and toast for 1 minute. Add in the under al dente pasta to the pan and toss well to coat. Turn the heat OFF. Mix one ladle of the pasta water to the egg yolk mixture, stir well, and then add to the pan with the pasta. Stir vigorously to form an emulsion and coat the pasta. Add more pasta water as necessary to keep a saucy consistency.

6. Gently fold the egg whites into the pasta until just combined.

7. Plate the pasta and top with the crispy guanciale and extra pecorino romano cheese and black pepper as wanted.

   ENJOY!

Have a question? Feel free to comment below!!!

Tried it out? Send me a picture and leave a review!! I love to see how your recreations turn out ❤️