Avocado Carbonara I guess?

[Haggis]

Whipped up this last night for dinner, my own creation. This would be fantastic in the spring time with spring vegetables such as zucchini, green beans, asparagus and baby carrots (not to mention delicious spring time avocados, lucky Australia has good advocados almost year round). As it was it was delicious, very simple as well. Titled it avocado carbarbonara simply because the avocado sauce looks very similar as it clings to the pasta (albeit with a green hue).

Made this up and it served 3.

300g pasta (I used penne)
3 rashers bacon, cut into fairly short trips
3 small zucchinis, cut into suitable sized chunks
2 small carrots, cut into suitable sized chunks
2 cloves garlic, finely sliced
1 medium avocado
milk
parsley, finely chopped
lemon juice
cayenne pepper
S&P
parmesan, to serve
ev-oo, to serve

Bring water for the pasta to the boil. When the water starts to boil, throw in the carrot and cook until tender then lift out the carrot, reserving the water of course. While waiting for it to come to the boil and the carrot to cook, fry the bacon in some olive oil until cooked to your liking, lift bacon out and drain on some paper towel. Add the zucchini and garlic to the same pan and cook until golden.

Cook the pasta until al dente then drain (reserve a cupful of the cooking water). Meanwhile, scoop out the flesh from the avocado, mash with a fork then season to taste with lemon juice, salt and pepper and a couple of pinches cayenne pepper. Add some milk to thin it out a bit. Add the finely chopped parsley.

Return the pasta to the pot it was cooked in (off the heat), add the carrots, bacon and zucchini. Mix in the avocado mixture and use the reserved cooking water to achieve the desired consistency. Plate up, throw a few more parsley leaves over the top, drizzle with some extra-virgin olive oil over the top and serve with the parmesan.

Enjoy.

 

[Claire]

Going to try this one! Yumm!

 

[urmaniac13]

What a unique, fresh, mouth watering idea Haggis!! And a great eclectic fusion recipe!!
So many Italian folks are not very accustomed to the usage of avocados (I have seen on several occasions at the market or supermarkets, people just musing over them and saying "but what are you supposed to do with this?")
This would be a great way to introduce this wonderful fruit to them

 

[RDG]

Haggis, I'm one of italian folks Urmaniac is speaking about, effectively . Usually, I eat avocado only with shrimps, and it has never been particularly tasting, for me: too fat...
However, this recipe is really interesting: avocado is mixed with lemon, ad so it remains more....how can I say? LESS fat. Sweet of carrots, sour of zucchini....I've copied it. Only a question, please: you use milk and lemon together. Is it ok? Don't they become cheese? TIA

 

[Haggis]

Usually, I eat avocado only with shrimps, and it has never been particularly tasting, for me: too fat...However, this recipe is really interesting: avocado is mixed with lemon, ad so it remains more....how can I say? LESS fat.

I get what you are saying here. The acidity of the lemon cuts through the richness (I believe that could be the english term you are looking for to describe the feeling and taste of a lot of fat in the mouth) of the avocado. Putting it in an Italian food perspective it's like serving a red wine (or using the red wine in a tomato sauce) with a lot of acid/tannins with cotechino or drizzling balsamic vinegar over mascarpone with strawberries. Is that the sort of thing you are talking about RDG?

Only a question, please: you use milk and lemon together. Is it ok? Don't they become cheese?

You are only using a fairly small amount of milk and lemon juice and it's combined with the advocado so you don't notice it. Additionally because of the texture of the finished dish (it looks exactly like carbonara) that any curdling of the milk is not noticable texture-wise.

 

[RDG]

Thanks for your kindness: yes, it's exactly what I meant.
Eheheheh.....It' curious this matter of "Italian food perspective"... I didn't realize you can look to us with this idea....But, effectively, your examples are perfect. Thank you again.....

 

[Haggis]

I guess it comes from the fact that all the world's cuisines follow the same basic ground rules. Once you know the ground rules they can be applied to any cuisine, only the ingredients differ.

I'm just lucky enough to have some experience with a variety of Italian ingredients and cooking so that I could provide examples that you could more readily understand, as no doubt Italian cooking and ingredients is the cuisine you understand best.

I'm glad I understood what you meant and was able to provide some relevant examples.