Kimchi Carbonara and Anything’s Pastable

Anything’s Pastable: 81 Inventive Pasta Recipes for Saucy People, written by Dan Pashman, features a fascinating and creative collection of recipes incorporating flavors from a variety of cuisines. A few highlights include Green Fettuccine with Chorizo Verde, Cacio e Pepe e Chili Crisp, Linguine with Miso Clam Sauce, Cascatelli with Spicy Broccoli Rabe Pesto, and even Pasta Pizza. I will also be sharing a recipe for Kimchi Carbonara following the review.

Disclosure: I received a digital copy of this book from William Morrow Cookbooks in exchange for my honest review. All comments and opinions are my own. This post contains Amazon affiliate links. If you purchase something through the link, I may receive a small commission at no extra charge to you.

Dan Pashman

Dan Pashman is the creator and host of The Sporkful podcast and Cooking Channel’s You’re Eating It Wrong. He also launched the viral new pasta shape, Cascatelli (which is featured in the book), in 2021 and more recently the obscure Italian shapes Vesuvio and Quattrotini in collaboration with Sfoglini.

The Sporkful has been the recipient of two James Beard awards and two Webby Awards for Best Food Podcast. The Cascatelli shape was also named one of Time Magazine’s Best Inventions of the Year.

Dan currently lives outside New York City with his family. This is his first cookbook.

Anything’s Pastable

Anything’s Pastable begins with a foreword by J. Kenji López-Alt, then a detailed introduction before jumping into the recipes.

I’ve had so much fun with this book so far and it was incredibly difficult to narrow down which recipes to try first (or stop myself from making over and over- at least until I got through the review). The ideas were inspired by a range of cuisines and with the collaboration of a team of recipe developers.

I particularly love the details on the development of dried pasta including the use of bronze vs teflon dies and slow-dried vs fast-dried versions. He has even included a few notes on gluten-free pasta and how to buy and optionally improve jarred tomato sauce.

Chapters are divided according to the following: Pestos, Pangrattatos, and the Jarred Tomato Sauce Decision Tree; Classic Comfort: Hugs on a Plate; Carby and Crispy: Adventures in Texture; Zing: Flavor Bombs, Not Belly Bombs; Stews, Rouxes, and Ragùs: Thick and Hearty, Warm and Toasty; Pasta Salads Redeemed: Fresh and Bright, Hold the Mayo; and To the Forno!: Baked Pasta Dishes.

The recipes are also divided by category for easy reference: 45 Minutes or Less, 5 Ingredients or Fewer, Make Ahead, and Vegetarian.

The photography is mainly provided by Dan Liberti. Most of the recipes are paired with at least one full-page, vibrant photo of the finished dish.

Measurements are listed in US Customary. A conversion chart is provided in the back of the book. Titles are written in English or the original language. Each recipe has a headnote with background information, inspiration, recipe developers, total time, yield, tips, and ingredient notes.

Kimchi Carbonara

I have enjoyed quite a few Carbonara variations over the years from the Classic Spaghetti Carbonara to Miso Carbonara Udon in LA and Tokyo. This was my first time making Kimchi Carbonara!

Developed with Irene Yoo, this Kimchi Carbonara pairs spaghetti with crisp pieces of guanciale, caramelized cabbage kimchi, and a silky egg cheese sauce. The results were fantastic and it has become a new favorite way to use up leftover kimchi (especially older kimchi since cooking will mellow the flavor a bit).

Pieces of guanciale are pan-fried until crispy, then set aside while the kimchi cooks until caramelized around the edges.

Then, the just tender pasta is added to the pan and everything is tossed together until heated through.

To finish, the pasta is quickly combined with the whisked eggs, grated Pecorino Romano, and freshly ground black pepper to create a smooth sauce.

For those who love this combination, Dan and Irene also have a recipe for Kimchi alla Gricia on the following page.

A Few Notes

As someone who has ended up with scrambled eggs more than once when making carbonara, I especially appreciated adding the pasta to the eggs in a large bowl vs adding the egg mixture to the pasta in the pan.

I went with finely grated Pecorino Romano for the egg cheese sauce and a little more freshly shredded Pecorino for the final garnish. Try to keep the cheese as finely grated as possible to incorporate into the sauce as it is tossed with the pasta. If you cannot find grated Pecorino, it can be swapped for grated Parmesan (do not use the ones labeled “cheese product”).

For those in Northern Virginia, I was able to locate Guanciale at Wegmans already pre-sliced for minimal prep. If unavailable, you can swap for pancetta or bacon.

More Pasta

We also enjoyed the Tagliatelle with Prosciutto, Nutmeg, and Parmesan; Shells with Miso Butter and Scallions; Scallion Oil Bucatini with Runny Eggs; and The Faux Manti (Armenian Spiced Lamb and Shells).

The Tagliatelle with Prosciutto, Nutmeg, and Parmesan was perfect for a quick and comforting lunch. Developed with Asha Loupy, Tagliatelle or Fettuccine is tossed in a creamy Parmesan-based sauce, then served with slices of prosciutto.

The Shells with Miso Butter and Scallions may be my personal favorite. Also developed with Asha Loupy, this recipe pairs small pasta shells with a “rich, roasty nuttiness from toasted sesame oil , sweet umami-rich miso, and lots of allium goodness from scallions and garlic.” The flavors were incredible and I absolutely loved the use of the white miso to really bring everything together.

The Scallion Oil Bucatini with Runny Eggs comes from the Carby and Crispy section. Developed with James Park, this variation of Scallion Oil Noodles uses bucatini as the base for the rich scallion-infused sauce. Before serving, it is topped with a fried egg (or raw yolk), more fried scallions, Parmesan, and cracked black peppercorns.

The Faux Manti (Armenian Spiced Lamb and Shells) was the most involved dish I tried at around 1 hour of time, but still much less prep than making actual Manti (small meat-filled dumplings). Developed with Andrew Janjigian, this dish incorporates the flavors of Manti in such a fun way. Shells are served in a lamb-based tomato meat sauce with sumac and Aleppo pepper, then topped with a quick yogurt-garlic mixture.

Anything’s Pastable is a fantastic pick for those looking for a fun collection of pasta ideas with a delicious fusion of flavors. Recipes range from quick meals using a handful of everyday pantry staples to more intricate options that require a little more prep (though the majority come together in less than an hour).

Many of the ingredients are becoming more readily available in larger American grocery stores. A few items that may require further searching include Calabrian chili paste, ricotta salata, tteok, saffron, gochugaru, Sichuan peppercorns, doubanjiang, za’atar, Merguez sausage, aji amarillo paste, ssamjang, and more.

Kimchi Carbonara Recipe

Excerpt from Anything’s Pastable

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5 from 4 votes

Kimchi Carbonara

A recipe for Kimchi Carbonara from the cookbook, Anything's Pastable! This dish pairs spaghetti with crisp pieces of guanciale, caramelized cabbage kimchi, and a silky egg cheese sauce.

Course Main

Cuisine N/A

Keyword carbonara, egg, guanciale, kimchi, meat, noodle, pasta, pork, spaghetti

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

0 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 4 -6 Servings

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons kosher salt
• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup (4 ounces) store-bought grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan plus more for serving
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper plus cracked peppercorns for serving
• 8 ounces guanciale
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 cups napa cabbage kimchi drained and chopped into 1 inch pieces
• 1 pound dried spaghetti or spaghettoni, bucatini, or rigatoni

Instructions

• Bring 4 quarts of water and the salt to a boil in a large pot.
• In a large heatproof bowl, whisk the eggs, Pecorino, and ground pepper until smooth and consistent; set aside.
• Line a plate with a double layer of paper towels.
• Slice the guanciale 1/4 inch thick (about the thickness of thick-cut bacon), then into 1 by 1/2 inch rectangles, and add them to a large, high-sided skillet along with the oil.
• Spread the guanciale into a single layer, set the pan over medium-low heat, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the fat has rendered and the guanciale is deeply browned in spots, 8 to 12 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the guanciale to the prepared plate.
• Pour the rendered fat into a heatproof bowl or liquid measuring cup, using a spatula to scrape out the pan. Return 3 tablespoons of the rendered fat to the skillet, discarding any excess or reserving it for another use, and place the skillet over medium-high heat.
• Add the kimchi and cook, stirring occasionally and scraping the bottom of the pan, until the moisture has evaporated and the kimchi starts to caramelize around the edges, 6 to 8 minutes; remove the pan from the heat.
• Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook for 1 minute less than the low end of the package instructions.
• Use tongs to transfer the pasta directly to the skillet and return the heat to medium-high.
• Add the guanciale and cook, stirring constantly, until heated through and the pasta is evenly coated with the kimchi mixture, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Immediately transfer the pasta to the bowl with the egg mixture. Add 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water and use a rubber spatula to rapidly toss everything together until the pasta is well coated, the cheese is dissolved, and the sauce is smooth and glossy. (There should be extra sauce pooling in the bowl at first, but it should all cling to the pasta after 1 to 2 minutes of stirring. If the sauce looks too thick after 1 minute, add more pasta water 1 tablespoon at a time until smooth and creamy.)
• Transfer the pasta to a serving dish or individual bowls, sprinkle generously with more Pecorino and the cracked peppercorns, and serve.