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Beer Brat Carbonara Pasta: An Oktoberfest Recipe

Beer Brat Carbonara Pasta: An Oktoberfest Recipe

Although it seems like most of America sees Oktoberfest as The Festival of Barely Contained Breasts And Bad Beer In October, it really isn’t meant to be any of those things.  Oktoberfest began more than 200 years ago as a wedding celebration, it’s morphed into a celebration of local food and drink.

In Germany, they take that local notion seriously. Only beer brewed within the Munich city limits is allowed to be served at the festivities, and last year nearly 7 million liters were served up. Which may explain why 37  kids were reported missing, as well as a live rabbit, during last years event (all children and furry creatures were found safe and sound).

Beer Brat Carbonara Pasta: An Oktoberfest Recipe

The authentic Oktoberfest festivities take place in Munich Germany, starting around mid-September and ending the first Sunday in October, making this year’s event well underway. To celebrate in my own house, far, far from the Bavarian epicenter of the German Beer Lovers Fest, I made a hearty pasta, full of beer brats and brown ale.

The bratwurst began as a peasants dish, using all the scraps left over once the more expensive cuts were taken, which makes it a perfect addition to carbonara pasta, which has its own humble beginnings on a peasants table in Europe.

To sum it up, my friends, celebrate in an authentic fashion: strap on some lederhosen, drink local beer, cook some sausages in beer, but just don’t forget where you put your kids or woodland creatures.

O’zapft is!

Beer Brat Carbonara Pasta: An Oktoberfest Recipe

Beer Brat Carbonara Pasta

Ingredients
  

  • 5 ounces gaunciale or 6 strips thick sliced bacon
  • 1 sweet white onion sliced into rings
  • 1 tbs olive oil plus 2 tbs, divided
  • 6 bratwurst raw
  • 12 ounces brown ale
  • 1 lb spaghetti
  • 2 Roma tomatoes chopped
  • 1 cup fresh grated Pecornio or Parmigiano-Reggiano
  • ½ tsp sea salt
  • 1 tsp fresh cracked black pepper
  • 4 large eggs

Instructions
 

  • In a large pot over medium high heat, cook the gaunciale (or bacon). Remove from pan, chop. Pour off about half the pork fat, leaving about 2 tbs still in the pan. Add 1 tbs olive oil and onions, cook over medium heat until the onions start to caramelize, about 8-10 minutes. Remove onions from pan, set aside.
  • Increase heat to medium high, add the bratwurst, cooking until browned on both sides. Add the beer and reduce heat to medium low, simmering until the bratwurst are cooked through, 10-12 minutes. Slice into rings.
  • While the bratwurst are cooking, cook the spaghetti in lightly salted boiling water until al dente, drain and return to pot.
  • Add sliced brats, chopped gauncaile (or bacon), caramelized onions, tomatoes, cheese, salt, pepper and remaining 2 tbs olive oil to the spaghetti, toss to combine.
  • One at a time poach the eggs in simmering water until the whites have set but the yolks are still runny.
  • Divide the pasta between 4 bowls, top with poached eggs. Serve immediately.

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Comments


Tieghan September 24, 2013 um 5:25 am

Octoberfest is a big deal in my mountain town, we actually already had it! So I am loving this pasta! Brats and bacon and beer and pasta? What is not to love!

Reply

cassie September 24, 2013 um 1:21 pm

I will take a big plate of this any day! I love the beer brat and poached egg twist to this carbonara!

Reply

Laurie {SimplyScratch} September 24, 2013 um 5:35 pm

I’m a total sucker for a meal that calls for an egg on top. This is on e gorgeous dish my friend!

Reply

Kalyan September 24, 2013 um 9:41 pm

Just mouthwatering….looks delicious!

Reply

Aimee / Wallflower Girl September 25, 2013 um 7:53 am

I love your recipes… This sounds soooo good!

Reply

Beau September 26, 2013 um 7:12 am

Made this last night though I substituted a Sam Adams Octoberfest in for the Brown Ale and I whisked the eggs into the dish just after I pulled it off the heat instead of using poached eggs. Regardless, this is one of the best dishes I’ve ever had. Thanks for the recipe and keep up the good work!

http://instagram.com/p/es9eHSB2o0/

Reply

Jackie September 27, 2013 um 9:43 am

I love that you did a bit more traditional for a carbonara. So glad you liked it!

Reply

ashley – baker by nature September 26, 2013 um 10:09 am

Oh come to mama…! This looks amazing, Jackie! Like always 😉 xo

Reply

Ryan May 16, 2016 um 4:02 pm

Was looking for a recipe to use up some brats I cooked up for a party and this was exactly what I was looking for. Used a home brewed Brown Ale to simmer the brats in. Love how all the flavors meld together. This is definitely a keeper.

Reply

Jackie May 16, 2016 um 4:37 pm

So glad you liked it! 🙂

Reply

Taryn December 16, 2017 um 9:37 am

This is my husband’s favorite dish. I make him a special dish for his birthday, and it never fails that he asks for this! Thank you for combining all his favorite things into one, very simple recipe, with a complex flavor!

Reply

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