Pasta alla Carbonara Recipe
How to make authentic Roman Carbonara
The origins of Pasta alla Carbonara are hazy but everyone agrees that this Roman classic is a mouthwatering masterpiece. Make Carbonara like a local with our family recipe and a get a taste of Rome wherever you are.
Real carbonara is made with just a few simple ingredients (forget about cream, mushrooms and everything else!). Proper guanciale (a type of cured bacon from the jowl of the pig) is the key to the amazing flavor Roman carbonara, but if you cannot get your hand on it you can substitute it with fatty pancetta for a similar result.
Watch Foodie Sisters in Italy as they share their tips to make the perfect Pasta alla Carbonara.
Pasta alla Carbonara
Serves 4
400g pasta (spaghetti or rigatoni)
150g guanciale
4 egg yolks + 1 egg
100g grated Pecorino Romano cheese
Freshly ground black pepper
Salt
The first thing to do is to bring a large pot of water to boil. Remember to add salt.
Remove the hard skin from the guanciale, and slice it in half lengthwise, and then into strips.
In a heavy saucepan cook the guanciale until golden and crispy. Turn off the heat.
In a separate bowl, beat egg yolks and the egg with the grated pecorino cheese. Add a bit of fresh grated black pepper. Stir everything vigorously until you get a smooth cream.
Cook the pasta until ‘al dente’ then drain it and toss it in the pan with the guanciale. Stir it well to coat the pasta in the guanciale fat.
Add the egg mixture and stir energetically. Be very careful to follow the procedure away from heat. If you add the eggs to the pasta on the pan over the flame the eggs will scramble.
Add an extra sprinkle of grated pecorino cheese and a crack of black pepper before serving.
Buon appetito!
