Representative George Santos's "Spaghetti Alla Carbonara"
I am THRILLED about this recipe.
There are a few reasons, too. One, it’s the first recipe I’ve received straight from the source: a recipe not otherwise shared in a community cookbook or campaign literature. Two, it’s a pasta dish, and I cook pasta more often than almost anything else at home and feel very at home in coming up with a delicious noodle dish on the fly. Third, the recipe is from George Santos, the beleaguered former congressman heading to prison in the near future.
Yes, a recipe straight from George Santos to me, and I had a feeling it was going to be as fabulous as Santos, himself.
Chef George Santos
Republican Representative from New York
Favorite Food/Homespun Recipe: Recipe
Notable:
being Kitara Rivache; having more fun in Congress than pretty much anyone else
Quotable:
“I was young and I had fun at a festival. Sue me for having a life.”
As always, I followed the recipe word for word, no alterations:
INGREDIENTS
150g guanciale
3 egg yolks
150g pecorino romano
cracked black pepper
12oz spaghetti
3/4 cup green peas
1/2 cup reserved pasta water
INSTRUCTIONS
1) Pan fry guanciale.
Or, as Santos said in his video description: “John Quallay.”
2) Boil 4 quarts of salted water, then add your spaghetti. Cook until al dente.
Salt your pasta water.
3) Meanwhile, mix egg yolks with fresh grated pecorino romano. Add cracked black pepper.
This is a disturbingly familiar and easy recipe for me to follow, as I cook noodles a lot and cacio e pepe is my favorite dish. How does George know my soul so well…..?
4) Remove pasta and put directly into pan with guanciale.
5) Add egg-cheese mixture. Slowly mix in reserved pasta water so you don’t make scrambled eggs. Toss until creamy.
I’ve never made scrambled eggs with a carbonara, but I realize it’s possible, so go slow, don’t let the egg mixture get too hot too fast. I did do it with a pecan pie once though….custardy.
6) Add peas and serve with more fresh pecorino.
Voila! If you want to actually watch me attempt to eat it, go to the Cookin’ with Congress Instagram or TikTok. Back to this pretty little bowl of pasta: I’m a sucker for pasta, so this looks just as lovely as I wanted. The green is a nice addition, at least aesthetically. One side note: I know you’re all thinking, “This man was convicted of being a liar — how do you know this recipe is truly his?” I spent a few hours scouring cookbooks, forums, keywording, etc., because I, too, was thrown off by the use of grams. I don’t work in grams often, but he specifically does here. Did Santos copy MOST of a recipe and simply add peas? We may never know, but to my knowledge, this is Santos’s own recipe.
Let’s see how it tastes.
Verdict:
Excellent. No notes. Great job. Straight to not-jail.
