black pepper, fresh parsley, fresh basil, and/or red pepper flakes
Instructions
Break up the soy curls with your hands into small pieces, and place them in a medium bowl. (They don't need to be evenly sized).
In a small bowl, stir together the pancetta marinade: tamari, maple syrup, smoked paprika, and black pepper. Pour the mixture over the soy curls pieces, stir until evenly coated, and set aside for 5 minutes. Then stir again to get the soy curls to soak up all the marinade.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook your pasta according to package directions for 'al dente' pasta.
Meanwhile, heat a deep skillet on your stovetop, and once hot, add the soy curls to the pan. Dry sauté for about 5 minutes, stirring often, until golden brown, without burning them. Then turn off the heat and set it aside. (If you want to garnish the plates with soy curls later, reserve and set aside a handful of pieces.)
Add all the sauce ingredients to your blender and process until smooth. Set aside.
When the pasta is cooked, RESERVE 1 cup of the cooking water before draining. Add the cooked spaghetti to the skillet and pour the carbonara sauce on top. Then add the cup of pasta water to your empty blender, give it a good swirl, or reblend for a few seconds to collect the extra sauce and seasoning on the sides of your blender. Pour this into the skillet and mix well.
Salt your pasta water! Be sure to add enough salt to your pot of water for the best results. Here’s a handy guide to help if needed.Do not overcook your pasta. Follow the directions for 'al dente' pasta. If your package does not include directions for 'al dente' then undercook your pasta by 1-3 minutes. 'Al dente' means that the pasta is still firm once cooked, and not mushy. This gives you optimal texture.Reserve some pasta water for 'swooshing' in your blender when draining your noodles. If you forget, use some broth, or fresh water with a little salt, so as not to dilute your carbonara sauce too much, but the starchy water works best.The black salt aka Kala Namak is a vital ingredient in this dish. It's what gives the sauce its eggy flavour. Do not skip it if possible. If you don't have, or cannot find black salt, you may use sea salt with slightly different results.Serve your vegan carbonara immediately, as the pasta will absorb the sauce as it cools.Leftovers keep refrigerated for 3-4 days. Add some broth or non-dairy milk to your pan when reheating to loosen it and add back some moisture.Soy curl pancetta inspired by My Quiet Kitchen's vegan bacon bits.