Bistro Ginolina Chef Shows How To Prepare Pappardelle Carbonara

Getting through the first year is often the most difficult for new restaurants, and newbie Bistro Ginolina is glad that first year is over.

With around approximately 234 restaurants and food establishments per our Patch Directory, our town has many choices. Bistro Ginolina entered the scene in 2010. Next Tuesday, Feb. 8, they celebrate the first year anniversary with a ceremony to include Mayor Al Boro, and a cocktail party from 4:30 p.m to 6 p.m. Everyone's invited! For now, Ginolina's chef Federico Sabino Rusciano will show how to cook to the delicious pasta dish, Pappardelle Carbonara.

The food is updated Italian, capably created by star chef Federico Sabino Rusciano. The management, charming co-owners Gino LaMotta and Lynne Rossotti–“Gino” and “Lina”–who met while working at Salute and together have many years experience running front of the house.

At Bistro Ginolina, the food has a Southern Italian focus but, in the capable hands of Roman-born Rusciano, it also has continental flair. Rusciano spent many years on the island of Capri where his parents and grandparents had a boutique hotel and restaurant. There, he absorbed everything about Italian cuisine and also learned how to run a restaurant.

Now, many years, thousands of miles and a delightful wife and child later, Rusciano runs the kitchen at Ginolina and manages several sous chefs.

Due to the fact that they provide seasonal menus, Bistro Ginolina has garnered many loyal customers. Rusciano often takes special requests. One instance, Rusciano made a three course meal for  a patron who came in with an expesive truffle.

Papparadelle Carbonara

Stripped to the basics, carbonara is ham, eggs, and pasta. True to Italy, Rusciano makes it without the addition of cream. Papparadelle pasta is a  broader cut than fettucine.  

There are many theories about how this recipe for Carbonara sauce came to be. Carbone means charcoal.  It is possible that this dish was first made as a hearty meal for Italian charcoal workers (carbonari) which gave rise to the term “coal miner’s spaghetti.” 

Mise en Place   

This is a French culinary term which means "everything in its place."  In a restaurant kitchen, it means that items have been prepped, chopped, peeled, sliced and put in place, so they are ready to be added to a dish as it is being cooked.

For the home chef, the idea of creating mise en place is extremely helpful. If you want to get your children involved in cooking, having them help with this “prep work” is a great project  which familiarizes them with food techniques and also makes them comfortable in the kitchen.

If you are worried about the use of raw eggs in a sauce, don’t be. At Bistro Ginolina they use pasteurized eggs which are widely available in Marin markets. You can make Carbonara with several kinds of pasta including spaghetti, linguini or penne.

Rusciano shares this simple and delicious recipe, made with pappardelle pasta. It takes only a few ingredients and very little time to prepare. The dish is paired with a glass of red wine, Vestini Montepulciano D’Abruzzo 2008. Salute!

Bistro Ginolina Pappardelle Carbonara 

Watch the video (to the right) to see how to prepare.

3.5 oz. of pappardelle pasta 

4 oz. of pancetta or guanciale 

4 egg yolks 

5 grams butter 

1 tbsp olive oil 

1 oz. parmigiano reggiano 

Pinch salt and pepper 

½ oz.  pecorino cheese 

4 oz. boiling pasta water

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