Spaghetti Friuliano
Published November 20, 2012
Daniel Krieger for The New York Times
- Total Time
- 25 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
Salt
3 large egg yolks
½ cup heavy cream
1 pound spaghetti
2 tablespoons butter
1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced
4 ounces (about ½ cup) sliced speck, cut into short ribbons
4 cups shredded savoy cabbage
¾ teaspoon ground juniper
1 ½ teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper, or as needed
½ cup grappa
½ cup grated fiore sardo or similar aged sheep’s milk cheese, plus additional for serving
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 to 6 servings)
63 grams carbs; 154 milligrams cholesterol; 547 calories; 6 grams monosaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 10 grams saturated fat; 19 grams fat; 4 grams fiber; 655 milligrams sodium; 20 grams protein; 5 grams sugar
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Bring a large pot of salted water (2 to 3 tablespoons salt per gallon) to a rolling boil. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and heavy cream.
- Step 2
Add the spaghetti to the boiling water and cook until al dente (usually about a minute less than the package recommends). In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add onions and sauté until beginning to soften, about 2 minutes. Add speck and sauté for another minute. Add cabbage and sauté for 2 minutes. Add juniper, pepper and half the grappa. Stir well.
- Step 3
When pasta is ready, reserve about a cup of the cooking water. Drain pasta and add to pan with the cabbage mixture. Add the egg and cream mixture and cook over medium heat for about 1 minute. Add just enough of the reserved cooking water to make a creamy sauce; all may not be needed. Turn off heat and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
- Step 4
Add ½ cup of the cheese and remaining grappa. Stir well. Serve with additional cheese.
Private Notes
Comments
Mixing spaghetti and cabbage sounds like a strange combination - but do not be put off. This recipe provides a well balanced combination of flavors and is a very satisfying winter meal. Using a flavorful cheese is important. If I'm not using savoy cabbage, I use regular green cabbage and cook it longer, so it starts to carmelize (see also "Pasta with carmelized cabbage, anchovies, and bread crumbs").
Really enjoyed this! I can’t afford to always follow recipes to the letter, so I use what I already have and make some tweaks: I had lots of drum cabbage, which I cooked over low heat with butter and salt for at least 30 mins until all the juices evaporated and it started to brown and caramelise. I despise having leftover eggwhites, so used two whole eggs. The sauce was perfectly creamy. Didn’t have grappa so used brandy. Also didn’t have fiore sardo, but had a bit of Swiss cheese and mild parmesan in the fridge. Worked well! It turned out very delicious and my partner enjoyed it too. It reminded me of a caramelised fennel and burrata dish that a trendy restaurant here makes. Unusual but approachable!
Excellent as is; I used percorino calabrese instead of the fiore sardo.
Really enjoyed this! I can’t afford to always follow recipes to the letter, so I use what I already have and make some tweaks: I had lots of drum cabbage, which I cooked over low heat with butter and salt for at least 30 mins until all the juices evaporated and it started to brown and caramelise. I despise having leftover eggwhites, so used two whole eggs. The sauce was perfectly creamy. Didn’t have grappa so used brandy. Also didn’t have fiore sardo, but had a bit of Swiss cheese and mild parmesan in the fridge. Worked well! It turned out very delicious and my partner enjoyed it too. It reminded me of a caramelised fennel and burrata dish that a trendy restaurant here makes. Unusual but approachable!
made this with Pecorino and Pancetta instead of the Sardinian cheese and Speck, and Vodka instead of Grappa. Very tasty - I think the Juniper berries add a really interesting note to it and "make the dish" - however, the teenager in the house hated the Juniper flavor.
For a dish with such distinctive and unusual flavors, this was surprisingly ho hum. I agree that the cabbage should be cooked longer to allow it to carmelize a bit. Longer cooking would also mellow the grappa, which made the dish taste strangely boozy. I wonder if the juniper should be added with the onions to imbue the dish with more flavor.