Spaghetti Carbonara, the Roman recipe based on eggs, guanciale, and pecorino romano known worldwide. Every April 6th, Carbonara Day is celebrated, and this year the carbonara turns 70. The procedure is very simple but must be followed step by step to avoid curdling the eggs. I prefer to prepare the “egg and pecorino cream” by keeping the bowl in a double boiler and removing it from the heat right before mixing with the pasta. With this procedure, the spaghetti remains well coated.
Other recipes
- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 2 People
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Regional Italian
- Region: Lazio
- Seasonality: All Seasons
- Energy 638.35 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 24.54 (g) of which sugars 0.45 (g)
- Proteins 19.10 (g)
- Fat 50.99 (g) of which saturated 20.49 (g)of which unsaturated 25.04 (g)
- Fibers 1.44 (g)
- Sodium 1,590.09 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 314 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 5.6 oz spaghetti (or rigatoni)
- 3.5 oz guanciale
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 egg (whole)
- 1.8 oz pecorino romano (grated)
- to taste black peppercorns
Tools
- Kitchen Scale
- Cutting Board
- Bowl
- Pan
Steps
Put the water on the stove, and when it boils, salt it and throw in the pasta. Cut the guanciale into strips, place it in a pan without oil, and brown it over low heat until it colors but does not dry out. Then keep it warm in a separate bowl from its fat. In a large bowl, place the egg yolks and the whole egg, keeping it in a double boiler without letting the bottom touch the water, mix with the whisk.
Add the pecorino and continue to mix, thinning the cream with a ladle of cooled pasta water. Remove from the double boiler and add the al dente cooked spaghetti, the guanciale with a bit of its cooking fat, and the ground pepper. There’s no need to add salt as the ingredients are very flavorful. Mix well and serve immediately while hot.
Tips
Tips
In a true carbonara, you should not use pancetta or cream. While mixing the pasta with the eggs, DO NOT keep the bowl on the heat.
FAQ
What type of pasta should be used for traditional carbonara?
Usually spaghetti, but you can also use types like rigatoni where the cream can enter inside.
