We challenged our readers with a competition in the kitchen. The result? A lot of very good carbonara and a surprising alternative version
The carbonara agrees on all and makes people talk at the same time. It's simple, but some secrets of preparation make it even more delicious. There is a version of it traditional and a thousand variants. The one we tasted during the Carbonara Day 2019 best celebrates all the nuances of this dish so loved and talked about: dare, but honor the tradition of Italian cuisine.
#CarbonaraChallenge 2019
On the occasion of the international day dedicated to carbonara set for April 6, in the classrooms of The School of Italian Cuisine there was an incredible competition among enthusiasts: the participants, divided into brigades, had the opportunity to choose between classic and unusual ingredients, among different pasta shapes Barilla, to amaze with a perfect carbonara.
The judges of honor: our director Maddalena Fossati, the experts Fiammetta Fadda is Andrea Grignaffini, the cooks Luca Zanga by Academia Barilla e Davide Negri, teacher in our cooking classes, they carefully observed the work of the competitors and tasted the 15 dishes in the competition, all very good, confirming the habits of the Italians in terms of carbonara.
Spaghetti or rigatoni?
The aspect that creates the most debate? The pasta format. There are some certainties about the classic version of the carbonara, or the ingredients. Eggs, bacon and Roman pecorino are essential to prepare an original carbonara, but it is impossible to establish the correct pasta format between spaghetti is rigatoni. During our challenge in the kitchen we came to a conclusion: both are good. No one has prevailed over the other, the pasta shapes have alternated in harmony and it is possible to play with them, trying different ones.
You can't do without a pillow
Despite the possibility of choosing between alternative ingredients, the evening revealed a constant. Someone dared using it speck or preparing one vegetarian carbonara, but most of the challengers did not give up the pillow. The secret of success is his consistency and its taste. To get the best out of it, let it melt and cook in its own fat.
The best carbonara in Italy: who won?
We found it. The best carbonara in Italy has prepared it for them: Vittorio, Filippo, Raffaella, Laura and Giuliano, with a dish that is Roman cuisine to the nth degree. Classic carbonara base, with the addition of cheese and of artichokes alla giudia.
What prompted the judges to choose this interpretation of the dish? First of all the mastery of the technique, expressed by a perfect one creaminess egg. The trick to obtain it is the cooking water, to be added to the egg yolks to allow it to thicken thanks to the released starch.
It is known, the carbonara is a game of consistencies and this carbonara also satisfies a double crunchiness, that of the pillow and that of the fried artichokes. Finally, he surprised the creativity of young people, like Vittorio: 22, has already attended some of our courses and is now already a winner in our kitchens!
Look at the gallery above to get inspiration and prepare your personal carbonara.
Photographs by Gabriele Basilico.
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