Carbonara
Spaghetti tossed with crisp cured pork, eggs, Pecorino and black pepper into a glossy, creamy sauce without any cream. It comes together in about the time it takes to boil the pasta.
Espaguetis carbonara: Javier Somoza, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Where it comes from
Carbonara is a Roman pasta dish, built on pantry staples of cured pork, eggs and sheep's-milk cheese. It is now one of the best-known Italian dishes in the world.
Explore the cuisine of Italy.
Recipe
Make Carbonara at home
Ingredients
- 12 oz (340 g) spaghetti
- 5 oz (150 g) guanciale or pancetta, diced
- 3 large egg yolks plus 1 whole egg
- 3/4 cup (75 g) grated Pecorino Romano
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Salt for pasta water
How it's made
- Boil the pasta in well-salted water until al dente; reserve a cup of the cooking water.
- Cook the guanciale in a large skillet over medium heat until the fat renders and the pieces are crisp.
- Whisk yolks, egg, cheese and plenty of pepper in a bowl.
- Add the drained pasta to the skillet off the heat and toss in the fat.
- Quickly add the egg mixture with a splash of pasta water and toss vigorously until creamy.
- Add more pasta water as needed and serve immediately with extra cheese and pepper.
Variations
- Carbonara with pancetta instead of guanciale.
- Vegetarian version with sauteed mushrooms.
- With rigatoni instead of spaghetti.
Cook’s tip: Always take the pan off the heat before adding the eggs so they stay silky and do not scramble.
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About this page
Description and method written by Intercontinental Chef. Home-style method; quantities are a starting point, so adjust to taste.
Photo credit
- Espaguetis carbonara: Javier Somoza, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)