Italian bacon and spaghetti alla carbonara
Wednesday, 18. July 2007, 22:11:14
When I went to Italy, I brought a small piece of Italian bacon back.
This stuff is called pancetta in Italy. By the way, in Italy, bacon is described as smoked pancetta, but it is wrong: here in England we have smoked bacon and non-smoked bacon. Smoked or non-smorked bacon and pancetta are not the same thing.
When I lived in Italy, I hardly bought any pancetta in brock. Not because I did not like it, but just for one person (I was sharing the flat with other girls, but each girls just cooked for oneself), a block was too much. And I had only a very small space in fridge.
Now that I bought it, I could compare with bacons. The Italian pancetta was much drier and firmer than British bacon, and a bit saltier too. British bacons can be eaten almost like a steak. I cannot do it with Italian one, as you don't make steak out of dry-cured ham.
With the pancetta, I made carbonara spaghetti.
The Italians usually use only pancetta and eggs to make the sauce. This time I added also cream to make it creamier. Nice. 
This stuff is called pancetta in Italy. By the way, in Italy, bacon is described as smoked pancetta, but it is wrong: here in England we have smoked bacon and non-smoked bacon. Smoked or non-smorked bacon and pancetta are not the same thing.
When I lived in Italy, I hardly bought any pancetta in brock. Not because I did not like it, but just for one person (I was sharing the flat with other girls, but each girls just cooked for oneself), a block was too much. And I had only a very small space in fridge.
Now that I bought it, I could compare with bacons. The Italian pancetta was much drier and firmer than British bacon, and a bit saltier too. British bacons can be eaten almost like a steak. I cannot do it with Italian one, as you don't make steak out of dry-cured ham.
With the pancetta, I made carbonara spaghetti.
The Italians usually use only pancetta and eggs to make the sauce. This time I added also cream to make it creamier. Nice. 
WIDGETIZE
pabha # 19. July 2007, 00:10
tabatakayoko # 19. July 2007, 19:05
Thank you for coming. I remember that you left a comment once in the past.
I have an impression that the Asian people really love food and the look of it, too!
allhewrote # 21. July 2007, 07:49
tabatakayoko # 21. July 2007, 23:10
ngsinh # 22. July 2007, 02:36
For the rolls:
-1 jicama (about 2lbs)
-3 carrots
-1/2 cup dried shrimp
-4 Chinese sausages (lap cheong)
-1/3 cup roasted peanuts (optional)
-3 eggs
-basil
-Vietnamese rice paper (bánh tráng)
*Steam and slice sausages into thin, long pieces. Beat eggs and cook using a nonstick pan to make thin sheets, cut sheets into long strips. Soak dried shimp in water until soft. Crush the peanuts and stir fry with dried shrimp. Julienne jicama and carrots, stir fry with alittle oil and dried shrimp water until cooked. Drain and reserve ‘juices’ to make dipping sauce. Wet a piece of rice paper and sprinkle some peanuts and dried shrimp. Lay a few strips of egg and sausage on top, followed by basil and then jicama and carrots. Roll up and serve with dipping sauce (recipe follows).
Dipping Sauce:
-1/4 cup hoisin sauce
-1 tbs peanut butter
-‘juices’ from dried shrimp and stir fried jicama
-water (if needed)
-sugar, salt
*Mix everything together over medium heat until mixture boils. Sweet and salty should be even, sauce should not be to thick (add more water if needed).
Gỏi cuốn
Ingredients (for 15 rolls):
-1/3lb pork belly
-15 prawns
-fresh assorted herbs
-1/2lb bean sprouts
-1/3lb rice vermicelli
-fresh Chinese chives
-15 sheets bánh tráng (rice paper)
-fresh coconut juice or water
What to Do:
Boil pork and prawns in coconut juice or water; reserve cooking liquid to make dipping sauce. Slice pork into thin pieces. Peel prawns and slice in half. Wash bean sprouts, and herbs. Cook rice vermicelli and drain. Wet a piece of rice paper; add a row of herbs in the center, followed by some noodles, and bean sprouts. Lay prawns and meat in a row above the noodles and veggies towards the edge of the rice paper. Fold sides of rice paper over and add a stalk of chive in the center. Roll up starting at the end with the noodles and veggies, ending at the end with the prawns and meat.
Dipping Sauce:
-3 tbs hoisin sauce
-2 tbs peanut butter
-1/2 cup meat and prawn stock
-3-4 tbs sugar
-2 cloves garlic
-1 tsp oil
*Mince garlic and fry in oil until fragrant. Add hoisin sauce, peanut butter, sugar and stock. Bring the sauce to a boil and give a taste test, all flavors should be equal.
tabatakayoko # 22. July 2007, 06:18
Thank you for the recipes! When I visited your blog, I did not find this one, but now I do, so I saw also the image.
You're right: Japanese "Popia" is Vietnamese Goi Cuon!
Your posting about insect eating is terrifying to me. I am really scared of worms. I feel like fainting when I see them