The quintessential dish of Rome! Although Spaghetti alla Carbonara is one of the most imitated recipes in the world with a multitude of variations, the original recipe calls for just a few ingredients: Italian guanciale (pork jowl or cheek), Pecorino Romano cheese, black pepper, fresh eggs, and pasta.
This traditional Spaghetti alla Carbonara recipe from my new cookbook, Pasta Affair: 50 Authentic Recipes From Italy, uses only traditional ingredients and is made without the cream, onion, or peas often seen in Italian restaurants outside of Italy.
TIPS
Guanciale or Pancetta?
Guanciale is considered more traditional than pancetta in this recipe. However, even in Italy, restaurants will sometimes use pancetta.
Finely grate the cheese!
Be sure to use very finely grated Pecorino cheese. If you use a food processor to grate the Pecorino from a wedge, use a fork to push the grated cheese through a fine sieve as well to create a fine powder.
[For more, read Italian Culinary Star Flavia Diamante Explains Her Cookbook, Pasta Affair.]
Spaghetti alla Carbonara
4
servings10
minutes20
minutesIngredients
1 1 whole egg
4 4 egg yolks
3 3 -1/2 oz. Pecorino Romano cheese, very finely grated
5 oz. 5 guanciale, cut into strips
1 pinch 1 fine salt
1 tbsp. 1 black pepper, medium coarse grind
11 oz 11 spaghetti
Directions
- TOAST THE BLACK PEPPER
- Toast the black pepper in a large dry skillet over very low heat for about a minute—just until you can smell it and no more.
- Transfer the pepper to a small bowl and set it aside.*
- SAUTÉ THE GUANCIALE
- Cut the guanciale into 1” by 1/3” (2.5 cm by 0.8 cm) strips.
- Sear the strips of guanciale in an ungreased pan over low heat.
- When the fat on the guanciale begins to turn translucent, increase the heat to medium. Continue cooking the guanciale until it is golden brown and crispy.
- Set it aside (leave the guanciale grease in the pan! We will finish the dish in this pan).
- MAKE THE SAUCE
- Combine one whole egg with 4 egg yolks and the Pecorino cheese.
- Whisk the ingredients until they are smooth and creamy.
- Set the sauce aside.
- PARTIALLY COOK THE PASTA
- Cook the spaghetti for ¾ of the time listed on the package instructions for al dente pasta. Cook the spaghetti in a little less water than you normally would (this will create a pasta water with more starch. We want to use the starchy pasta water to finish the spaghetti in the skillet).
- Drain the pasta and immediately transfer it to the pan with the guanciale grease.
- Add a ladle of the hot pasta water to the pan along with the spaghetti and stir to combine.
- Drizzle ½ a ladle of the hot pasta water into the egg and Pecorino cheese, whisking continuously.
- The result will be a creamy, shiny sauce.
- FINISH THE PASTA
- Finish cooking the pasta in the skillet to al dente.
- Remove the pan from the heat and immediately add the egg sauce to the still hot spaghetti.
- Stir continuously with tongs to combine the Carbonara sauce with the pasta.
- The hot spaghetti will cook the egg sauce a bit as well, melting the Pecorino.
- Mix in the toasted black pepper and guanciale from before.
- The Carbonara sauce will continue to thicken on the plate as it cools, so plate when the sauce coats the back of a spoon.
- Serve immediately!
Notes
- * It’s better to freshly grind the pepper and use a medium-coarse setting when grinding. Super fine pepper will toast too quickly. We don’t want to create pepper gas in our kitchen.
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