This Pasta Carbonara with Mortadella recipe is a great alternative to the traditional version! I think you'll love it!
Carbonara is traditionally made with bacon (or pancetta), but one of these days we had some leftover mortadella (it's similar to bologna) and I thought: "Why not making a carbonara with mortadella?" So I searched on the internet and couldn't find anything in English or Portuguese but I found many recipes in Italian, and I thought that if Italians make this substitution, so can I 🙂
What are the ingredients to make Pasta Carbonara with Mortadella?
For this recipe you will need pasta (spaghetti is the traditional pasta for carbonara but you can choose your favorite or whatever you have at home), mortadella (or bologna), olive oil, parmesan cheese, grated, eggs, salt and pepper.
How do you make pasta carbonara?
You will start by cooking pasta according to package instructions. Meanwhile you will cut mortadella (or bologna) in stripes and in a skillet heat olive oil, add the mortadella and let it fry a little and set aside. In a bowl you will beat the eggs and when pasta is almost ready, set aside ½ cup cooking water. The next step is to drain the pasta and place it back in the pan. Turn the heat back on, add mortadella, parmesan, water and eggs. Mix well so the eggs don't turn into scrambled eggs. Add salt and pepper and serve with parmesan cheese.
Pasta Carbonara with Mortadella
Delicious pasta carbonara that does not uses bacon
Servings 3
Calories 741kcal
Ingredients
- 10 to 14 oz dry pasta
- 5.3 oz mortadella (or bologna)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup parmesan cheese grated + more for serving
- 3 eggs
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup cooking water from pasta
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package instructions.
- Cut mortadella (or bologna) in stripes.
- In a skillet heat olive oil, add mortadella and let it fry a little (3 to 5 minutes). Set aside.
- In a bowl beat the eggs.
- When pasta is almost ready set aside ½ cup cooking water.
- Drain pasta and place it back in the pan.
- Turn on the heat, add mortadella, parmesan, water and eggs. Mix well so the eggs don't turn into scrambled eggs.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve with parmesan cheese.
Nutrition
Calories: 741kcal | Carbohydrates: 73g | Protein: 38g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 214mg | Sodium: 1226mg | Potassium: 384mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 498IU | Calcium: 448mg | Iron: 3mg
Today I am in the similar situation. I have some homemade tortellini and was thinking how I would normally serve them not in a soup. It's usually prosciutto, peas in either a butter or cream sauce. I live in a heavily Italian neighborhood, so sometimes I am lucky enough to have seasoned guanciale (pork cheek; which by the way is amazing in a carbonara!!)
At last, with the current global situation, do not have that in stock. I do, however, have a small 3/4 of a lb. Ciitterio Mortadella in the crisper drawer, and immediately took to the inter webs. You can pan sear mortadella, right? And here I am, reading your blog, mind clapping your ingenuity and taking the mortadella out of the fridge. Tonight, I shall make Tortellini alla panna with seared mortadella. I can already taste the second helpings.
Thank you for being creative. Thank you for being hungry.
Tortellini alla panna with seared mortadella sounds delicious!
Thanks for your comment,
Andrea