Carbones Italian Recipes

REAL ITALIAN CALZONES

Steps:

• To Make Dough: In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in water. Add the oil, sugar and salt; mix in 1 cup of the flour until smooth. Gradually stir in the rest of the flour, until dough is smooth and workable. Knead dough on a lightly floured surface for about 5 minutes, or until it is elastic. Lay dough in a bowl containing 1 teaspoon olive oil, then flip the dough, cover and let rise for 40 minutes, or until almost doubled.
• To Make Filling: While dough is rising, combine the ricotta cheese, Cheddar cheese, pepperoni, mushrooms and basil leaves in a large bowl. Mix well, cover bowl and refrigerate to chill.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• When dough is ready, punch it down and separate it into 2 equal parts. Roll parts out into thin circles on a lightly floured surface. Fill each circle with 1/2 of the cheese/meat filling and fold over, securing edges by folding in and pressing with a fork. Brush the top of each calzone with egg and place on a lightly greased cookie sheet.
• Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 30 minutes. Serve hot.

SPAGHETTI ALLA CARBONARA: THE TRADITIONAL ITALIAN RECIPE

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat; add guanciale (see Cook's Note). Cook, turning occasionally, until evenly browned and crispy, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and drain on paper towels.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook spaghetti in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until tender yet firm to the bite, about 9 minutes. Drain and return to the pot. Let cool, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes.
• Whisk eggs, half of the Pecorino Romano cheese, and some black pepper in a bowl until smooth and creamy. Pour egg mixture over pasta, stirring quickly, until creamy and slightly cooled. Stir in guanciale. Top with remaining Pecorino Romano cheese and more black pepper.

CARBONE’S ITALIAN-

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 F. Line 1 or 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper and lightly oil. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl, gently fold the kosher salt into the ground pork and set aside. Combine the breadcrumbs and milk, and let stand for 20 minutes. In a skillet over medium-high heat, sauté guanciale or pancetta in olive oil until browned. Add onions, garlic and fresh herbs plus optional red pepper flakes. Sauté until onions and garlic have softened, about 10 minutes. Set mixture aside to cool. To make the meatballs, gently fold the cooled sauté mix, soaked breadcrumbs, Parmigiano-Reggiano and ricotta into the salted pork. It is important not to overmix. Mix just until ingredients hold together and elements are incorporated. Portion mixture with 1-ounce ice cream scoop and drop onto oiled baking sheets, then go back and gently hand roll each scoop into meatball. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until browned. In a large Dutch oven, simmer meatballs in marinara for 45 minutes or until tender. To assemble the dish While the meatballs braise, cook the pasta according to package directions, but reduce the time by a few minutes. Drain, reserving pasta water, and add spaghetti to the meatballs and marinara. Stir and cook for an additional couple of minutes. As the spaghetti finishes cooking, it will pick up some of the sauce. If the mixture gets too thick, add some of the pasta water. Taste the spaghetti; it's done when it's al dente. Serve on individual plates or a family platter. Garnish liberally with more grated cheese. Sauce Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic with a pinch of salt and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add optional chile flakes. Deglaze the Dutch oven with chicken stock, scraping up any browned bits. Add tomatoes and stir to incorporate. Bring to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in the basil. Taste sauce and adjust seasonings