Is this simple 4-ingredient Carbonara dinner ‘genius’ or 'lazy'? Mum's dish triggers heated debate
- Replies 40
It’s no secret that putting together a decent meal can be a bit daunting. Check out any recipe book, and you’ll be hit by a barrage of ingredients, complicated processes, and more steps than a dance musical sequence.
Well, one innovative mum has come up with a four-ingredient meal that’s so quick and easy it had thousands of people talking. However, not everyone was impressed.
Mum-of-three Emma Lou left thousands of people stunned after she shared her tasty four-ingredient ‘lazy’ dinner on social media using just pasta, chicken, bacon, and a jar of store-bought Carbonara sauce to create the meal.
‘Because I'm so lazy and cannot cook, I got this jar from [the supermarket], and I slopped it all in there and mixed it around,’ she said in the clip she uploaded online.
Emma used Dolmio Creamy Carbonara Pasta Sauce (you can get it for $4 at Woolworths), mixed it with cooked pasta and stirred them together. Then, Emma added cooked chicken and bacon pieces before serving the meal to her children.
‘Before you say it, I'm not Italian. Can't complain because they all ate it, and I made the kids clear up,' she added.
However, not everyone liked the idea.
Many social media users said that ditching the jar of sauce for egg, parmesan, and pasta water would make a cheaper and ‘more authentic’ Carbonara dish.
Others were left ‘confused’ by the recipe and completely slammed the idea.
‘I don't get Carbonara sauce when all you need to do is add eggs, Parmesan and a bit of pasta water,' one shared.
‘Probably a similar cost but tastes so much better and not processed,’ they added.
‘Carbonara sauce is literally eggs and cheese mixed together and poured over with some hot water from the pasta pot. It takes like two minutes to make,’ one more replied.
Despite the backlash, many still leapt to Emma’s defence, commenting that jar sauces are also quick to use and especially helpful for those who don’t have enough time to cook complicated meals.
Some also noted that cheese could be too pricey for many households, especially amid rising inflation and an increase in grocery bills.
‘It takes one second to pour a jar into the pasta,' one stated, while another agreed and replied: ‘Also, cheese, in general, is expensive.’
Someone explained that Marinara sauce is simple to make as well, and yet people still go out and buy jars. ‘Not everyone can keep fresh ingredients in the house, and Parmigiano is a luxury,’ they added.
Another stated that they liked adding the Carbonara sauce to a pot. ‘It’s less bother,’ they wrote.
Many parents in the comments said they were keen on trying the ‘brilliant’ and ‘no-fuss’ meal.
‘I’d eat this; no complaints,’ one said.
While another agreed and admitted: ‘I would be all over this; that looks so good. Cooking is effort, so long as something edible is on the table, who cares.’
One suggested: ‘Chuck a bit of broccoli and frozen peas in as well. It makes it really nice.’
If you’ve got a bit of time on your hands and extra cash, you could try making traditional spaghetti Carbonara using only five ingredients.
Do note, however, that the only difficult part of spaghetti carbonara is getting the eggs right – they must neither be cooked to look like scrambled eggs nor too little to be raw and cold.
Without further ado, here’s how to make traditional spaghetti Carbonara:
A Step-by-Step Guide to Cooking Traditional Carbonara:
1. Start by setting a large pot of water to boil for the pasta. As a rule of thumb, use 1 litre (4 cups) of water for every 100 g of pasta and 10 g (around 1/2 tablespoon) of coarse salt per litre (4 cups) of water.
2. While the water is heating, cut the guanciale or pancetta into small pieces (cubes or slices, as you prefer) and cook them gently in a pan over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Stir occasionally to ensure even cooking. Adjust the cooking time depending on your preference for crispy or soft meat.
There's no need for extra oil, as the meat releases enough fat on its own. Once done, turn off the heat, cover the pan, and set it aside.
3. Now it's time to prepare that luxurious Pecorino cream. In a bowl, combine the whole eggs, Pecorino Romano cheese, and some freshly ground black pepper. Use a fork or hand whisk to mix these ingredients until you achieve a thick, creamy consistency. Put this flavoursome mixture aside for now.
4. By this time, your water should be boiling. Add salt and carefully cook the spaghetti until al dente, following the cooking time indicated on the pasta package.
5. Once the spaghetti is al dente, drain it and add it to the pan with the meat. Turn the heat to high and let the pasta sizzle as it absorbs the delicious flavours.
6. The last and most crucial step: turn off the heat and quickly add the egg and pecorino cream to the hot pasta, mixing well to ensure a smooth, creamy sauce.
Pro-tip: be attentive to the consistency – if it's too runny, add a bit more grated pecorino cheese; if it's too sticky or dense, add a tablespoon or two of the reserved pasta cooking water.
Your traditional Spaghetti Carbonara is now ready to serve! Use a ladle and fork to create a pasta nest on each plate. Top it with more meat, a sprinkle of freshly ground black pepper, and a dusting of grated pecorino Romano. Enjoy!
What do you think? Is this four-ingredient Carbonara dinner clever or too 'lazy'? Let us know in the comments, and feel free to share your own speedy dinner recipes.
Well, one innovative mum has come up with a four-ingredient meal that’s so quick and easy it had thousands of people talking. However, not everyone was impressed.
Mum-of-three Emma Lou left thousands of people stunned after she shared her tasty four-ingredient ‘lazy’ dinner on social media using just pasta, chicken, bacon, and a jar of store-bought Carbonara sauce to create the meal.
‘Because I'm so lazy and cannot cook, I got this jar from [the supermarket], and I slopped it all in there and mixed it around,’ she said in the clip she uploaded online.
The mum said she made the four-ingredient dinner for her kids. Credit: Alejandro Aznar/Pexels
Emma used Dolmio Creamy Carbonara Pasta Sauce (you can get it for $4 at Woolworths), mixed it with cooked pasta and stirred them together. Then, Emma added cooked chicken and bacon pieces before serving the meal to her children.
‘Before you say it, I'm not Italian. Can't complain because they all ate it, and I made the kids clear up,' she added.
However, not everyone liked the idea.
Many social media users said that ditching the jar of sauce for egg, parmesan, and pasta water would make a cheaper and ‘more authentic’ Carbonara dish.
Others were left ‘confused’ by the recipe and completely slammed the idea.
‘I don't get Carbonara sauce when all you need to do is add eggs, Parmesan and a bit of pasta water,' one shared.
‘Probably a similar cost but tastes so much better and not processed,’ they added.
Other social media users were left ‘confused’ by the mum’s Carbonara recipe. Credit: emma_lou_/TikTok
‘Carbonara sauce is literally eggs and cheese mixed together and poured over with some hot water from the pasta pot. It takes like two minutes to make,’ one more replied.
Despite the backlash, many still leapt to Emma’s defence, commenting that jar sauces are also quick to use and especially helpful for those who don’t have enough time to cook complicated meals.
Some also noted that cheese could be too pricey for many households, especially amid rising inflation and an increase in grocery bills.
‘It takes one second to pour a jar into the pasta,' one stated, while another agreed and replied: ‘Also, cheese, in general, is expensive.’
Someone explained that Marinara sauce is simple to make as well, and yet people still go out and buy jars. ‘Not everyone can keep fresh ingredients in the house, and Parmigiano is a luxury,’ they added.
Another stated that they liked adding the Carbonara sauce to a pot. ‘It’s less bother,’ they wrote.
Many parents in the comments said they were keen on trying the ‘brilliant’ and ‘no-fuss’ meal.
‘I’d eat this; no complaints,’ one said.
While another agreed and admitted: ‘I would be all over this; that looks so good. Cooking is effort, so long as something edible is on the table, who cares.’
One suggested: ‘Chuck a bit of broccoli and frozen peas in as well. It makes it really nice.’
If you’ve got a bit of time on your hands and extra cash, you could try making traditional spaghetti Carbonara using only five ingredients.
Do note, however, that the only difficult part of spaghetti carbonara is getting the eggs right – they must neither be cooked to look like scrambled eggs nor too little to be raw and cold.
Without further ado, here’s how to make traditional spaghetti Carbonara:
- Serving size: 4
- Prep time: 20 minutes
- Cook time: 10 minutes
- 350 g of spaghetti.
- 200 g of guanciale (cured pork. Alternatively, you can use pancetta from Coles, which costs $3.80 per 1kg).
- Four whole medium eggs (1 egg per serving).
- 100 g (1 cup + 1 tablespoon) of grated Pecorino Romano cheese. You can get this from Woolworths for $12.50.
- Ground black pepper to taste.
A Step-by-Step Guide to Cooking Traditional Carbonara:
1. Start by setting a large pot of water to boil for the pasta. As a rule of thumb, use 1 litre (4 cups) of water for every 100 g of pasta and 10 g (around 1/2 tablespoon) of coarse salt per litre (4 cups) of water.
2. While the water is heating, cut the guanciale or pancetta into small pieces (cubes or slices, as you prefer) and cook them gently in a pan over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Stir occasionally to ensure even cooking. Adjust the cooking time depending on your preference for crispy or soft meat.
There's no need for extra oil, as the meat releases enough fat on its own. Once done, turn off the heat, cover the pan, and set it aside.
Cook the meat gently in a pan. Credit: Recipes from Italy
3. Now it's time to prepare that luxurious Pecorino cream. In a bowl, combine the whole eggs, Pecorino Romano cheese, and some freshly ground black pepper. Use a fork or hand whisk to mix these ingredients until you achieve a thick, creamy consistency. Put this flavoursome mixture aside for now.
4. By this time, your water should be boiling. Add salt and carefully cook the spaghetti until al dente, following the cooking time indicated on the pasta package.
5. Once the spaghetti is al dente, drain it and add it to the pan with the meat. Turn the heat to high and let the pasta sizzle as it absorbs the delicious flavours.
6. The last and most crucial step: turn off the heat and quickly add the egg and pecorino cream to the hot pasta, mixing well to ensure a smooth, creamy sauce.
Pro-tip: be attentive to the consistency – if it's too runny, add a bit more grated pecorino cheese; if it's too sticky or dense, add a tablespoon or two of the reserved pasta cooking water.
This is how Italians cook Carbonara. Credit: Recipes from Italy
Your traditional Spaghetti Carbonara is now ready to serve! Use a ladle and fork to create a pasta nest on each plate. Top it with more meat, a sprinkle of freshly ground black pepper, and a dusting of grated pecorino Romano. Enjoy!
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