Spaghetti with bacon and telemea

Name: Spaghetti with bacon and telemea
Ingredients: 500 g spaghetti; 1500 ml water; 250 g bacon; 100 g smoked pork loin; 200 g cow's milk telemea; 100 g sour cream (minimum 20% fat); 2 tbsp olive oil; 1/4 tsp fine salt; 1/2 tsp ground pepper; 30 g grated parmesan or cașcaval (optional)

Pasta/Pizza - Spaghetti with bacon and telemea by Jeana L. - Recipia

Spaghetti with bacon and telemea (a Romanian brined white cheese), with smoked pork loin, bound with sour cream in a hot sauce made right in the pan. The bacon and smoked pork loin brown in oil, then the telemea softens in their fat, and the pasta is tossed with the sour cream. For the bacon I look mostly at thickness, because thick slices brown more evenly. Preparation: 15 minutes. Cooking: 20 minutes. Resting: 15 minutes. Total time: 50 minutes. Servings: 4. About 950 kcal and 39 g protein per serving.

Ingredients

500 g spaghetti
1500 ml water
250 g bacon
100 g smoked pork loin
200 g cow's milk telemea
100 g sour cream (minimum 20% fat)
2 tbsp olive oil
1/4 tsp fine salt
1/2 tsp ground pepper
30 g grated parmesan or cașcaval (optional)

Preparation

1. Take the sour cream out of the fridge 15 minutes before. Bring 1500 ml water to a boil in a large pot and cook the spaghetti according to the package instructions, usually 10 minutes, then drain. 2. Cut the smoked pork loin into slices and the telemea into cubes. 3. In a frying pan, heat 2 tbsp olive oil. When it is hot, add the bacon and smoked pork loin and let them fry for about 5 minutes, until they brown a little. 4. Add the telemea, 1/4 tsp fine salt and 1/2 tsp ground pepper. Stir and leave for 2 more minutes, stirring constantly. 5. Rinse the drained spaghetti under cold running water and put it in the pan. In a bowl, mix the sour cream with 2-3 tbsp of the hot sauce from the pan, then pour it over the pasta. 6. Mix well and leave for 3 more minutes on low heat, until everything is warm and the sauce coats the pasta. 7. Serve hot, with grated parmesan or cașcaval on top, to taste.

Notes

Leftovers keep in the fridge for up to 3 days, in a closed container, and reheat on low heat with a spoonful of water so the pasta does not dry out. They go well with a salad of tomatoes or cucumbers. The telemea can be too salty; if it tastes that way, put the cubes in cold water for ten minutes and drain them well before they go into the pan. Smoked pork loin cut very thin dries out quickly when frying, so slices of 3-4 mm hold up better. For a gluten-free version, use rice or corn spaghetti, cooked for the time on the package, since regular spaghetti contains gluten.

Frequently asked questions

Why does the sour cream split in the sauce?

If the sauce starts to split, take the pan off the heat and stir in 2 tbsp of lukewarm water. Then put it back on low heat, just until it is warm again.

What can I use instead of smoked pork loin?

Cooked ham, 100 g, the same amount, cut into slices of the same thickness. It browns just as quickly.

What can I use instead of telemea?

Feta, 200 g, the same amount, works well, only it is saltier, so use just 1/8 tsp salt.