Smoked Turkey Carbonara

 

I may have mentioned a time or two I'm obsessed with my Traeger woodfired grill.  LOVE IT.  I use it at least twice a month for the protein portion of a meal.  For Thanksgiving I did a huge turkey breast and used the Traeger Mesquite pellets as they are just a hint of sweet that plays so well with Turkey.  I opted for the huge breast so I'd have lots of left overs for things like Smoked Turkey Carbonara.

This recipe is cut down from a similar version I did recently.  It makes 4 healthy servings as I cut down the ingredients by a quarter to reduce left overs.

Smoked Turkey Carbonara

Ingredients:

• 2 cups Cubed Smoked Turkey
• 3/4 cup frozen peas
• 1 shallot thinly sliced
• 2 whole eggs
• 2 egg yolks
• 3/4 c Pecorino Romano (grated)
• 1/2 c dry white wine (I use Pinot Grigio)
• 1 T butter
• salt and pepper to taste
• 12 ounces spaghetti
• 3/4 C pasta water
• minced parsley 

Put pasta in boiling water and cook until al dente according to package directions (about 10-12 minutes).  While spaghetti cooks continue with the  other steps.

Over medium heat add a tablespoon olive oil to a large skillet.  Add thinly sliced shallot and cubed turkey.  Sautee' lightly 3-4 minutes until shallots are translucent and smoked turkey is warmed through.

Add peas and white wine and toss to combine with the other ingredients in skillet.  White wine will reduce to a thin mixture when most of it has been evaporated.  Turn off burner at this point.

In a large mixing bowl add eggs, yolks and Pecorino Roman cheese. Whisk well until combined.

Reserve 3/4 c pasta water from the pot and cool 2 minutes.   Add cooked pasta to skillet with the turkey mixture and toss lightly to combine.

Whisking constantly slowly drizzle the slightly cooled pasta water into the egg mixture until well incorporated.

Turn burner under skillet to low.  Slowly pour egg mixture, stirring constantly with a large spoon or pasta spoon into the skillet until all is incorporated and the sauce has coated all of the pasta and turkey mixture.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Toss in the butter until it is melted into the sauce.  Garnish with some minced parsley.  Turn off heat and serve immediately.

Ham and Peas Carbonara

 

I stumbled across a great carbonara recipe that is stupid easy and as tasty as I had in Rome. I adapted it to family tastes, IE no visible onion that coincidentally is not in a traditional recipe in Rome. My son and wife said I definitely need to add to the rotation.  It was so good.  

This recipe differs from so many others as it used Pecorino Romano as the cheese of choice rather than Parmesan.  Makes a big difference in taste, worth the searching for the Pecorino.  This cheese has a deeper funk to it as its made from sheep's milk and isn't quite as mild as Parmesan.  I'm a convert.

Interesting adaptation for this market was the use of diced ham instead of the hard to find guanciale in the local markets.  (How I yearn for a close by Eataly).

Be forewarned this makes 8 servings.  

Ham and Peas Carbonara

• 8oz diced ham
• 1 C peas, thawed if frozen
• 3/4 C hot water
• salt and pepper to taste
• 3 whole eggs
• 3 egg yolks
• 1 c Pecorino Romano, plus more for serving
• 1T butter, melted
• 1t fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 t salt
• 1/2 t ground pepper
• 1 pound spaghetti
• 1 C pasta water
• 2 T Minced Parsley

Over medium heat add a tablespoon or two of olive oil to a skillet over medium heat.  Add ham and cook 3-4 minutes until starting to brown on the edges.  Add peas and toss lightly.  Add 3/4 cup hot water to pan and cook until peas are thawed and tender.

In a mixing bowl add eggs and egg yolks. Whisk in Pecorino Romano cheese until well combined.  Add salt and pepper.

Cook pasta as directed on package.  Reserve 1 cup of hot pasta water.  Cool hot pasta water 2 minutes. Add cooked pasta to the ham and pea mixture, its ok if some water makes it the the skillet, no need to drain completely.  Turn off heat to skillet and toss the pan a few times to disperse peas and ham with the pasta.

Take cooled pasta water and slowly drizzle in to egg mixture whisking continuously so as to NOT scramble the egg mixture.  When water fully incorporated into eggs, turn stove onto low and replace skillet over the flame.  Stirring constantly with tongs, drizzle in the egg mixture to the pasta mixture and cook 2 minutes.  Remove from flame.

Add melted butter and lemon juice,  Sprinkle on minced parsley.  Toss gently then serve with additional Pecorino Romano over the pasta and enjoy with a nice Pinot Grigio and slice of garlic bread.