Carbonara
Carbonara is an Italian pasta dish that originated in Rome. It is typically made with spaghetti noodles, eggs, Pecorino Romano cheese, guanciale (cured pork jowl), and black pepper. The sauce is made by mixing eggs and cheese together to create a creamy texture without using any cream. The hot pasta and its water help to cook the eggs just enough to create a smooth and luxurious sauce.
Ingredients
12 oz (340g) spaghetti or Linguini
4 large eggs
1 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese (or Parmesan)
8 oz (225g) pancetta or bacon, diced
4 cloves of garlic, minced
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Fresh basil
Instructions
Cook the spaghetti or linguini in a large pot of sea salted boiling water according to the package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water, then drain the spaghetti.
While the pasta is cooking, whisk the eggs in a bowl. Add the grated cheese and a generous amount of black pepper. Mix well and set aside.
In a large skillet, cook the diced pancetta or bacon over medium heat until it’s crispy and browned. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
Add the drained spaghetti to the skillet with the pancetta and garlic. Toss everything together to combine.
Remove the skillet from heat and quickly pour the egg and cheese mixture over the pasta. Toss the pasta continuously so that the eggs cook and form a creamy sauce. If the sauce is too thick, gradually add some of the reserved pasta cooking water to loosen it up.
Season with sea salt and more black pepper to taste. Add basil.
Remember that the pancetta and cheese are already salty, so be cautious with the additional salt. Enjoy!
This recipe serves 4 people. Feel free to adjust the quantities based on your preferences and the number of servings you need.
Thank you for trying this recipe. Please let me know how you liked it.
If you enjoyed this recipe, please take a look at other recipes on my Fast, simple and good pasta page.
Carbonara