Carbonara

Carbonara is one of those deceptively simple pasta dishes that makes you look like a more skilled cook than you might think. Despite its simplicity, it’s often ruined by the addition of cream, which has no place in traditional carbonara. Authentic carbonara contains no cream—just eggs, cheese, and cured pork. You can swap the spaghetti for bucatini or fettuccine, and while you can use bacon instead of pancetta or guanciale, replacing the eggs with cream is almost sacrilegious.

the following carbonara recipe is the more traditional way of cooking a carbonara, however I often use the eye of the bacon instead of pancetta or guanciale as i like a leaner cut of pork.

Ingredients:

• 400g spaghetti
• 200g pancetta or guanciale (cured pork cheek), diced
• 4 large eggs
• 100g Pecorino Romano cheese, finely grated (plus extra for serving)
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Salt for pasta water

Instructions:

1. Cook the Pasta:
   • Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
   • Add the spaghetti and cook according to package instructions until al dente.
2. Prepare the Pancetta/Guanciale:
   • While the pasta is cooking, heat a large skillet over medium heat.
   • Add the diced pancetta or guanciale and cook until crispy and golden brown, about 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
3. Make the Sauce:
   • In a mixing bowl, whisk the eggs together.
   • Add the finely grated Pecorino Romano cheese to the eggs and mix until well combined. The mixture should be thick.
4. Combine Pasta and Sauce:
   • Once the pasta is cooked, reserve about 1 cup of the pasta cooking water and then drain the pasta.
   • Quickly add the hot pasta to the skillet with the pancetta/guanciale (make sure the skillet is off the heat).
   • Immediately pour the egg and cheese mixture over the pasta, tossing quickly to combine. The heat from the pasta will cook the eggs, creating a creamy sauce. Add reserved pasta water as needed to reach your desired sauce consistency.
5. Season and Serve:
   • Season generously with freshly ground black pepper.
   • Serve immediately with extra Pecorino Romano cheese on top.

If you would like to make homemade pasta head to the recipe here.