Pasta Alla Carbonara
A classic Roman pasta dish made with eggs, pecorino romano, guanciale, and black pepper, known for its creamy sauce without cream.
Nutrition per serving
Ingredients
Grain(1)
- spaghetti- 320 gor bucatini
Meat(1)
- guanciale- 150 gdiced into 1/4-inch pieces
Dairy(1)
- pecorino romano- 50 gfinely grated, plus more for serving
Egg(1)
- large eggs- 3 qtyroom temperature, plus 4 yolks
Spice(1)
- black pepper- 2 tspcoarsely and freshly ground
Condiment(1)
- salt- 1 tspcoarse, for pasta water
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Unlock AI featuresInstructions
Cook the pasta
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook according to package directions until al dente. Reserve about 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
Don't overcook the pasta! Al dente is key for the right texture.
Prepare the guanciale
While the pasta is cooking, dice the guanciale. In a large pan or skillet, cook the guanciale over medium heat until crispy and golden brown. Remove from the pan and set aside, reserving the rendered fat in the pan.
Cook the guanciale slowly to render the fat properly.
Make the egg mixture
In a bowl, whisk together the large eggs and yolks with the pecorino romano and black pepper. The mixture should be thick and creamy.
Make sure the pecorino romano is finely grated for a smooth sauce.
Combine everything
Turn off the heat completely. Add the hot, drained pasta to the pan with the rendered guanciale fat. Toss to coat. Pour the egg mixture over the pasta and toss quickly and continuously to create a creamy sauce. Add a splash of the reserved pasta water at a time if needed to adjust the consistency. The residual heat of the pasta and pan will gently cook the eggs without scrambling them.
The key to a creamy carbonara is to work quickly and use the residual heat to cook the eggs.
Serve
Stir in the crispy guanciale. Serve immediately, garnished with more grated pecorino romano and freshly ground black pepper. Enjoy!
Carbonara is best served fresh.
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