Spaghetti alla carbonara is a very famous first course of Roman cuisine.
The sauce ingredients for carbonara are guanciale, pecorino cheese, eggs, and black pepper.
Few and simple ingredients, but preparing it is not that simple!
More than anything, you need to be careful not to cook the egg or end up with a reduced sauce that sticks to the pasta.
Of all the dishes I know, perhaps carbonara is the most controversial one, always leading to many discussions about its execution.
How many eggs should you use? Why remove the egg white? Only the yolks?
As for me, what I look for in a dish of Spaghetti alla carbonara is creaminess as well as good taste, of course.
In my spaghetti alla carbonara – creamy and foolproof recipe you will find all the taste and creaminess of this good dish.
Excuse the modesty!
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 4 people
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
for Spaghetti alla carbonara
- 5 medium eggs (4 yolks and 1 whole)
- 11 oz spaghetti
- 3.5 oz pecorino cheese
- 5.3 oz guanciale
- to taste pepper (I like it abundant)
Tools
- 1 Hand whisk Lagostina
Preparation
To prepare Spaghetti alla carbonara, first put the pot on the stove with water for the pasta;
Remove the rind from the guanciale and cut it into 0.4 inch strips;
In a non-stick pan, brown the guanciale for a few minutes over low heat in its own fat, so there’s no need to add oil;
Once the guanciale is cooked, remove it from the heat and let it cool;
Add coarse salt to the water brought to a boil for the spaghetti;
Cook the spaghetti for the time indicated on the package;
In a large bowl, pour the yolks + one whole egg along with the pecorino cheese and mix with a hand whisk;
The mixture should be compact;
Grind the pepper freshly;
Take the guanciale from the pan and put some in the eggs and some to be used for the composition of the finished dish;
Drain the pasta well before pouring it into the bowl with the egg and pecorino mixture;
Mix quickly;
If the sauce does not seem creamy enough, you can add the pasta cooking water little by little until you reach the desired creaminess;
Plate and add the guanciale set aside on the spaghetti and sprinkle with more pepper;
Serve the carbonara hot as soon as it’s ready.
The guanciale should not be overcooked; it should be crispy outside and soft inside.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
Questions for Spaghetti alla carbonara
Can I use bacon instead of guanciale?
The recipe calls for guanciale, but if you prefer, you can replace it with good smoked bacon;
How can I avoid scrambled egg effect on the pasta?
The eggs should be added off the heat and not in a hot pot;
What type of spaghetti do you recommend?
I prefer spaghetti n.5
How to avoid the risk of salmonella?
By purchasing pasteurized eggs
How many eggs for carbonara?
If you want it creamy, 1 yolk per person + one whole for the pot
