Pasta with Stewed and Sliced Black Carrots (Venezuelan Pavilion Style)

90 min
This dish is an ingenious and delicious version of Venezuela's national dish, the Criollo Pavilion. Instead of rice, the base is classic spaghetti that is topped with black caraotas (black beans) slowly stewed in a powerful sauté with bacon, onion, pepper and spices, achieving a deep, slightly sweet and smoky flavor. The essential accompaniment are the slices, slices of ripe banana fried until golden and caramelized, which provide the perfect sweet contrast. The whole thing is topped with plenty of grated Llanero white cheese and, optionally, a fried egg. It is a strong dish, full of contrasts and very representative of the Venezuelan table.

INGREDIENTES

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4
Porciones

HERRAMIENTAS

  • + Large or pressure cooker for caraotas.
  • + Large skillet for sautéing and slicing.
  • + Large pot for pasta.
  • + Colander.
  • + Immersion blender (optional).
  • + Cutting board and knife.

INSTRUCCIONES

Step 1:

Cook the Carrots. Drain the soaked carrots. In a pot, cover them with fresh water and boil them for 10 minutes. Dump that first water (this helps digestion). Cover the carrots again with fresh water and cook them over medium heat (or in a pressure cooker) until they are very tender (approximately 60-90 minutes in a normal pot, 25-30 in a pressure cooker). Reserve the cooking liquid.

Step 2:

Prepare the Sofrito. In a large skillet, heat some oil or shortening. Saute the bacon until crisp. Remove the bacon and set aside. In the same fat, sauté the onion and garlic until translucent. Add the tomato and pepper, and cook for 5 minutes.

Step 3:

Season the Sofrito. Add salt, pepper, cumin, paprika, oregano and bay leaf to the sauce. Cook for a couple more minutes to let the spices release their scent.

Step 4:

Stew the Carrots. Pour the whole sauce into the pot with the tender carrots and their broth. Add the reserved crispy bacon and the teaspoon of sugar (or cardboard). Mix well and cook on low heat for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the stew thickens and the flavors are concentrated. If you want a creamier texture, you can blend a small portion of the carrots with an immersion blender and add it back to the stew. Rectify the salt.

Step 5:

Cook the Pasta. While the carrots finish cooking, cook the spaghetti in plenty of salted water until al dente. Drain them.

Step 6:

Fry the slices. Peel ripe bananas and cut them into slices diagonally or lengthwise. Fry them in a pan with hot oil until golden brown and caramelized on both sides. Remove them on absorbent paper.

Step 7:

Fry the Eggs (Optional). If you wish, fry the eggs in a separate pan.

Step 8:

Serve. On a deep plate, serve a bed of spaghetti. Top generously with the black carrot stew. Arrange the fried slices around. Sprinkle plenty of grated white cheese on top and, if using, top with a fried egg.

TIPS

  • + Soaking and Double Cooking: Don't skip soaking or changing water when cooking carrots. It helps them cook faster and are easier to digest.
  • + The Sweet Touch: The teaspoon of sugar or cardboard in the caraota stew is a Venezuelan secret. It doesn't make them sweet, but it enhances their natural flavor and balances the smokiness of the bacon.
  • + Banana in its Punto: For perfect slices, use ripe bananas (yellow peel with lots of black spots). This ensures that they are sweet and soft when frying.
  • + Llanero cheese: Llanero white cheese is the traditional one, due to its firm texture and salty flavor. If you can't find it, firm, salty fresh cheese or even feta cheese can work as substitutes.
  • + Milk Cream/Cream: In some regions of Venezuela, it's common to add a touch of heavy cream (cream) to the cheese when serving, for extra creaminess. Try it!