Jennifer Aniston’s favorite pasta recipe is what to make for dinner tonight

I’m going to try this dish.

You’ve spent years watching Friends, so you’d think you’d know what Rachel’s, er, Jennifer Aniston’s favorite dish was. It turns out that watching marathons of this show on TBS doesn’t give you any knowledge about the actors themselves or their food preferences.

That’s why we only recently learned that Aniston’s favorite recipes don’t include a cup of Central Perk coffee or a viral salad. Instead, for her it’s all about the simple pasta dish, a riff on the Italian classic carbonara.

Aniston talked about her love for the dish in a 2016 interview with People magazine. During her interview, she said that she makes this dish at least twice a week. Unlike traditional carbonara (which is delicious and perfect on its own), Aniston, who is known for her health-conscious lifestyle, says she has tweaked the pasta dish to make it lighter.

Her changes include using turkey bacon instead of the frequently used pancetta, guanciale, or pork bacon, reducing the amount of cheese, and omitting butter or oil. She also added a little red onion and low-fat milk. After she read this, I have to admit that it sounded like a pretty sad dish to me. But like anything, I was willing to give it a try. I’ll explain what happened.

How I recreated Jennifer Aniston’s spaghetti carbonara recipe

I had made carbonara several times before, so I knew the challenge ahead. The biggest challenge is: How can I make a flavorful and creamy dish without mixing scrambled eggs with pasta?

Aniston didn’t give me any direction, so I just went with my gut and made creative decisions. I put a pot of water on the stove, brought it to a boil, and started cooking the pasta.

After whisking the eggs and egg yolks (key ingredients for a rich, luscious sauce), I added grated Pecorino Romano cheese and a little milk. I cooked the bacon until it was crispy and removed it from the pan leaving some drippings (albeit very minimal).

I added a little olive oil (not Aniston) along with the chopped onions and cooked them for about 2 minutes until soft, then added the minced garlic and cooked for another minute. Remove some of the water from the pasta and drain the pasta. Add it to the pot along with the onions.

After a little mixing, I added the reserved pasta water, then the egg mixture, and continued stirring like crazy for a full minute. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper.

It was delicious! Is it absolutely authentic? no way! But close enough for a busy weeknight. Overall, this is a pretty good dish. Especially with my modifications.

Tips for Making Jennifer Aniston’s Carbonara Recipe

• Please use the freezer. Cutting raw bacon into cubes can be a difficult task. Partially freezing the slices before dicing will make things easier. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and place in the freezer for 20 minutes. Dice and add directly to the pot.

• Set yourself up for success. The ingredients for this dish come together quickly, so it’s best to prepare them in advance. Measure your materials before you start, keep them organized and nearby so you can work efficiently.

• Add fat. Although Anniston has removed a significant amount of fat from the original recipe, adding a little oil to the skillet helps sauté the onions and garlic. If you want to keep it healthier, use extra virgin olive oil.

• Reserve some of the pasta liquid. Part of the beauty of the original dish is that it uses pasta water to create a velvety, delicious sauce. I recommend you to use it too. Just before draining the pasta, you can remove it with a ladle or scoop it out with a measuring cup.

How to make Jennifer Aniston’s Spaghetti Carbonara Recipe

Number of people: 2 people

material

• 1/2 pound spaghetti or other thin pasta

• 1 large egg and 1 large egg yolk

• 2 tablespoons low-fat milk

• 1/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano (or Parmesan) cheese, divided

• 2 cubes of turkey bacon

• 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion

• 2 cloves of garlic (chopped)

• Appropriate amount of salt and black pepper

direction

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add salt (about 1 tablespoon per gallon of water) and stir in the pasta. Cook pasta according to package directions, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Drain the pasta, reserving 1/4 cup of the pasta cooking water. Return the drained pasta to the pot and cover to keep warm.

2. In a small bowl, mix together the eggs, egg yolks, and milk, then add half of the cheese. Let’s set it aside.

3. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the bacon. Cook until crispy, about 3 minutes. Remove cooked bacon with a slotted spoon and transfer to a plate lined with paper towels. If the skillet is dry (no fat droplets left from the turkey bacon during cooking), add 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, add the onions and cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for another minute, until fragrant.

4. Add the drained pasta to the skillet along with half of the reserved pasta cooking water and stir. Add egg mixture and mix for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in remaining cheese, bacon, and additional pasta water if pasta seems dry.

5. Serve in a bowl and garnish with freshly ground black pepper.

Read the original article for all recipes.