For those looking for a truly authentic taste of Italy in the comfort of their own home, look no further than Gennaro Contaldo’s Authentic Italian Spaghetti Carbonara on the Citalia Youtube Channel. Contaldo is ingrained within Italian culture as much as anyone alive today, and even has his own “Madeleine Moment” towards the end of the video when discussing this dish’s ties to Rome and the history surrounding the great city. The first aspect of the video that stands out is his authentic preparation of the ingredients, as well as the fact that only a few ingredients were used. He starts with a large pinch of salt into the pasta water, followed by the pasta itself, with the goal of cooking them Al Dente. He follows that by evenly cubing some Guanciale (Pig Cheek), and cooking that in a pan using its own fat. The final part to the dish he prepares is the creamy sauce, which he gets by mixing pasta water with three egg yolks and some Pecorino Romano cheese. These ingredients are some of the backbones of authentic Italian cuisine, and are combined to make a simple but effective dish. The preparation of the food beautifully reflects the simplicity of the ingredients used in its creation. Contaldo swirls a perfect servings of the spaghetti onto a ceramic plate, followed by a couple spoonfuls of the creamy sauce. The presentation is reminiscent of a fancy Italian restaurant that you may go to on a night out. Where the dish stands alone at the center of the plate because it doesn’t need the help of any sides or appetizers. The consumption of a dish such as this is actually best described by Gennaro Contaldo himself, as he refers to this dish as a “Taste of Italy”. Contaldo speaks to the audience as if they were his friends, or his family. The love and passion that he puts into this simple dish radiates through the screen and inspires the inner chef within all of us. I expect that his interactions with the audience hold the same kind of energy and excitement that an Italian family may have as they sit down together to enjoy each others company, and this simple, authentic week night meal.
