Spaghetti Carbonara

Spaghetti Carbonara is the definition of a guilty pleasure. Starchy noodles, eggs, cheese, pork fat...it doesn't get any better. So although I wouldn't recommend this as a weekly dish, it's perfect for that special dinner. A red checkered tablecloth, bottle of wine, and some candles, and you've got a romantic night at home.

Spaghetti Carbonara

serves 4

1 lbs spaghetti

4 eggs

1 cup grated parmesan cheese

1/2 lbs pancetta, 1/4 in thick, cubed

3 cloves of garlic, minced

salt

pepper

fresh italian parsley

I used pancetta from Whole Foods. I asked the guy behind the counter slice it to a quarter inch thick because thinly sliced pancetta just does not cut it in this dish. The cubed pieces of pancetta add an important textural component to the dish--some pieces are crispy, while some still have a pleasant chew. Also make sure that you use a good quality parmesan. We grated a block of parmegiano reggiano ourselves.

1. Boil spaghetti for the amount of time indicated on the package in liberally salted water--this is your only chance to season the pasta itself!

2. Beat 4 eggs and add 1 cup of parmesan. You may also crack some fresh black pepper into this mixture.

3. Add pancetta to a pan without any oil--trust me, the pancetta will render enough fat on its own.

4. Cook until browned, but not all the way crispy. We want to maintain a meaty chew to the pancetta.

5. Right before the pancetta is finished cooking, add in minced garlic. Make sure the garlic does not burn.

6. Drain pasta and add it directly to the pan with the pancetta, garlic bits, and glistening rendered pork fat. (you could drain some of the fat, but why would you want to lose that liquid gold?)

7. Add egg and cheese mixture to the pasta and stir vigorously to keep the egg from scrambling. The eggs, cheese, and fat will coat the noodles in a luxuriously thick and creamy sauce. If it is too thick, feel free to add some of the pasta water to loosen it up.

8. Garnish with fresh parsley and some more grated parmesan.

Buon Appetito!

Tiramisu Love

Peppoli

at The Inn at Spanish Bay
2700 17-Mile Drive
Pebble Beach, CA 93953

On our last night in Pebble Beach, my mom and I drove along the beautiful 17-mile drive at sunset and arrived at The Inn at Spanish Bay for dinner. We had to choose between dinner at Roy's--which served Hawaiian fusion cuisine--or at Peppoli--a rustic italian restaurant named after a vineyard in Naples. The choice was easy.

Unfortunately, the lighting in the restaurant was really dark so my pictures did not turn out very well. Fortunately, the food was amazing and the ambiance in the restaurant only added to the experience. My mom and I both had wonderful glasses of the house Chianti to start off with.

Vongole e Cozze alla Calabrese

Mussels and clams steamed in a spicy shallot-saffron broth

Our appetizer of mussels and clams left us speechless. The spicy broth was so complex and savory that we soaked it all up with some bread.

Rigatoni di Aragosta

Australian lobster tail, zucchini in a rich lobster sauce

Gnocchi

Tomato coulis, fried fresh mozzarella

Our pasta dishes of rigatoni with lobster and gnocci with tomatoes weren't exceptionally different but were definitely perfectly executed.

Our final dish of assorted meats from the grill was SENSATIONAL. The dish included grilled flank steak, a rack of lamb, and house-made italian sausage. I had the most amazingly perfect grilled piece of flank steak that night. It was life-changing. Sadly, the picture that I took did not do it justice.

Finally, it was time for dessert. Not being a lover of tiramisu, I was hesitant when my mom insisted on getting that for dessert. However, it was probably the best dessert I have ever had. The tiramisu was prepared table side and served in martini glasses. Layers of airy whipped marscapone and aromatic espresso-soaked ladyfingers produced heaven in a martini glass.