Spaghetti carbonara is a world renown dish in the western world, which you can find in many Italian restaurants. This dish is quick and easy to make, needing only a few ingredients.
The sauce is made from a combination of heat and the egg yolks combining with the starchy water, making the silky carbonara sauce we all love.
Travelling to Italy
Me and my partner went to grab a quick lunch whilst waiting for our train in Florence. We decided to pop into a local Trattoria restaurant. We were taken to our seats by the host, sat down and start reading the menu. Minutes later we were greeted by an old, passionate Italian man called Adriano.
After talking to Adriano about food, our travels and Italian culture we asked him for a recommendation. With a big smile said, “We must try this spaghetti carbonara, it is exactly how we make it in Rome”(his hometown).
Sometime between 5 & 7 minutes, our carbonara’s arrived. They had nice chunks of guanciale, lots of specks of black pepper & a silky sauce. Overall this was properly the best carbonara I have ever eaten!
After finishing we moved on to our conversation with Adriano about what makes a real Roman Carbonara. This is what he told us!
Adriano’s Secret Spaghetti Carbonara Tips/Tricks
- Do not use cream!
- Use dry pasta and not fresh because the sauce is made from eggs.
- Starting cooking the pasta before the guanciale.
- To make a authentic carbonara you must use Pecorino Romano. This is made from sheep milk unlike parmesan which is made by cow milk. (Pecorino is more sharp & salty then Parmesan)
- Season with a good amount of black pepper.
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Spaghetti Carbonara
Equipment
- Large Pot
- Sauté Pan
- Mixing Bowl
Ingredients
- 500 g Spaghetti
- 200 g Guanciale or pancetta cubed
- 4 Eggs
- 2 Egg Yolks
- 100 g Pecorino Romano finely grated
- Sea Salt
- Freshly Cracked Black Pepper
Instructions
- Bring a large pan of water to the boil, then generously salt. Add the spaghetti cook until al dente. When the pasta is done, reserve 200ml of pasta water, then drain.
- Meanwhile as the pasta is cooking, heat a large sauté pan to medium heat. Add the guanciale and sauté for about 3-5 minutes, until slightly crisp.
- While the guanciale is cooking separate 2 egg yolks in a bowl, add 4 eggs, grated pecorino and a liberal amount of freshly ground black pepper.
- Next add half of the reserved pasta water to the pan and deglaze (scrap any bits of the bottom of the pan) . Toss the spaghetti into the saucepan, constantly stirring until most of the pasta water has evaporated.
- Remove the pan from the heat and add the egg mixture, stirring quickly to prevent the eggs from scrambling. If the sauce seems too thick, thin it out with a little of the reserved pasta water.
- Serve fresh from the pan
Notes
- Pecorino Romano can be swapped with Parmigiano reggiano or a mixture of both cheese.
- If Guanciale is not available use pancetta or bacon lardons
- Spaghetti is the usual pasta however fettuccine, linguine, bucatini or rigatoni are also used.
Bintu | Recipes From A Pantry
Monday 13th of January 2020
I love a carbonara! This looks delicious - thank you for the tips to make it truly authentic!
Jackslobodian
Monday 13th of January 2020
No problem! I hope you enjoy it :)
kim
Monday 13th of January 2020
Love this recipe! It was so easy and delicious. Will definitely be making again!
Jackslobodian
Monday 13th of January 2020
Thank you :)
Danielle Wolter
Monday 13th of January 2020
carbonara is one of my favorite pasta dishes. And this came out perfectly!
Jackslobodian
Monday 13th of January 2020
Great! I am glad you enjoyed it :)
Katherine
Monday 13th of January 2020
Thanks for all the tips to make this an authentic carbonara!
Jackslobodian
Monday 13th of January 2020
Its my pleasure :)
Angela Allison
Monday 13th of January 2020
Such an incredible recipe! I just can't get enough of this carbonara. I agree with your cooking instructions about omitting any cream. This is pure perfection! Thanks so much for sharing.
Jackslobodian
Monday 13th of January 2020
Thank you, I am glad you enjoyed it!