Introduction
Carbonara is spaghetti coated in a creamy sauce made only from egg yolks, cheese, crisp pork and lots of black pepper. There is no cream: the creaminess comes from the eggs, the cheese and the pasta water. It is ready in under twenty minutes.
It comes from Rome and is a young dish: it first appears in print just after the Second World War, and its origin is still debated. The Roman version uses guanciale (cured pork cheek) and Pecorino Romano; pancetta and Parmesan are common substitutes. The one difficulty is to cook the eggs just enough to thicken without scrambling them, which is why the pan comes off the heat.
Ingredients
- 400 g spaghetti or rigatoni
- 150 g guanciale or pancetta, cut into small strips
- 4 egg yolks and 1 whole egg
- 80 g Pecorino Romano, finely grated, plus some to serve
- black pepper, freshly ground
- salt
Tools
- A large pot
- A large frying pan
- A mixing bowl and a fork
- A grater
Preparation
- Bring a large pot of water to the boil and salt it lightly (the pork and cheese are salty).
- In the bowl, beat the yolks, the egg, the Pecorino and plenty of black pepper into a thick paste.
- Put the guanciale in the cold frying pan and cook it over a medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, until its fat has melted and it is crisp. Turn off the heat.
- Cook the pasta until al dente. Keep a cup of the cooking water and drain.
- Add the pasta to the frying pan, off the heat, and toss it in the fat. Let it cool for one minute.
- Stir 2 tablespoons of pasta water into the egg mixture, then pour it over the pasta and toss quickly. Add more water, a spoon at a time, until the sauce is creamy and glossy. If it stays runny, set the pan over a very low heat for a few seconds, stirring.
- Serve at once, with more Pecorino and pepper.