- coursePrimo piatto
- difficultyHard
- preparation time55 minutes
On a recent evening, Eataly Magazine joined fellow food and wine lovers at a special dinner celebrating Ferrari Trentodoc, the official sparkling wine of the Emmys. After the last dish was cleared, we were nearly in mourning – until the chef and winemaker shared the recipe and tasting notes for the primo corso. Today, we are pleased to introduce you to your new favorite food-and-wine pairing: Bucatini alla Carbonara with Roasted Pecorino and a 63° Egg paired with Ferrari Brut Rosè NV.
Before you recreate the delicious meal in your own kitchen, let us set the scene. Held at the chic Tasting Table Test Kitchen in Manhattan, the dinner menu was created by David Kirschner, executive chef and owner of dineDK, and guided by Ferrari's passionate winemaker Marcello Lunelli.
Lunelli comes by his viticultural fervor naturally: his grandfather was the successor of his mentor and the winery’s founder, Giulio Ferrari. Ferrari was a pioneer in Trentino, where he planted the first Chardonnay in the early 1900s. He realized that the northern Italian region had the perfect climate for producing sparkling wines. From those first few bottles to today’s expansive selection, Ferrari has been in the international spotlight, receiving many major international accolades.
As each glass was poured and dish served, Lunelli described the wine pairing.
“The cool, mountainous terrain of Trento renders a marked minerality and desirable acidity to our Brut Rosè, which is a combination of the Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes,” Lunelli explained during the first course. “Aged two years on the lees, this wine has fragrant floral flavors with hints of wild strawberries, and its bright, refined character is the perfect complement to the salty fat of the guanciale in pasta alla carbonara.”
Kirschner stepped forward to introduce his culinary creation.
“The secret to making an amazing Carbonara – or most Italian food in general – is all about the ingredients and understanding where the dish comes from,” he said. “Carbonara is a dish whose roots are based in Rome, so we use Pecorino Romano for this dish, not Parmigiano Reggiano, which is from northern Italy. This helps us to capture the true flavor and soul of the dish in a very subtle way. At the core, this pasta is all about the how the egg yolk smoothes out the saltiness from the guanciale, pecorino, and the spice of the black pepper.
“The Brut Rose is a perfect pairing as the bright acidity, stone fruit and berry notes cut through the heavier aspects of the dish,” Kirschner continued, “while the wine has enough body to stand up alongside the bold flavors Carbonara delivers.”
Now, to the kitchen!
Bucatini alla Carbonara with Roasted Pecorino and a 63° Egg
Recipe courtesy of Chef David Kirschner of dineDK
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients
½ cup pecorino romano cheese, finely grated
4 eggs, locally sourced if possible
6 ounces bucatini, ideally fresh but dried works well
1 tablespoons olive oil
4 ounces guanciale, cut into ¼-inch dice
1 tablespoon freshly-ground black pepper
½ cup mascarpone cheese
Kosher salt, to taste
Special Equipment
A silicone-baking mat
Temperature-controlled water bath, thermic circulator, or a candy thermometer and a watchful eye!
For the roasted pecorino:
Preheat your oven to 375°F. Line a cookie sheet with a silicon mat (or parchment paper) and evenly spread out half of the grated pecorino cheese across it. Place this in the oven and cook for 5-6 minutes until it turns lightly golden brown. Allow it to cool on the tray and then break it up into crumbs with your hands. Store the crumbs in an airtight container and set aside. This will hold for about a week.
For the slow-cooked egg:
Despite what equipment you choose to use the goal is the same: You need to get a pot (or bath) of water to 63°C (145°F) and be able to consistently hold that exact temperature for an extended period of time.
Place the 4 eggs gently into the 63°C (145°F) water and cook them for 45 minutes. If you are using a pot of water with a candy thermometer, gently stir the water every 10 minutes to keep the heat distributed evenly.
If the eggs finish before your pasta is ready just turn the heating source off and let them sit in the warm water until you need them.
To finish the carbonara:
In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta until al dente. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking water.
Meanwhile, in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, add the oil and guanciale. Cook this for 6 minutes, stirring often, until the fat has rendered and the guanciale turns golden brown. Carefully, add the reserved pasta water to the pan and use a whisk to scrap all the flavorful bits off the bottom of the pan.
Add the black pepper, remaining pecorino, and marscapone cheese to the pan, turn your heat down to low and whisk to form your sauce. Add your hot pasta to the sauce and toss to coat. Taste and adjust with more cheese, pepper, or a touch of salt if necessary.
Divide the pasta into bowls, crack the eggs, and carefully place them in the middle of the pasta. Top with a grind of pepper and the roasted pecorino crumbs.
Buon appetito – e cin cin!
