Spaghetti Carbonara
By Groceree
The Roman classic made the traditional way: no cream, just eggs, pecorino, crisp guanciale and plenty of black pepper, tossed with hot pasta until the sauce turns silky.
Last updated
- Servings
- 4 servings
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Total
- 30 min
Ingredients
spaghetti400 g- guanciale150 g
egg yolks4- eggs1
pecorino romano100 g
black pepper2 tsp
salt
Instructions
- 01
Bring a large pot of water to the boil and it lightly. and pecorino are both salty, so use less than you normally would.
- 02
Cut the into strips about 1 cm wide, put them in a cold, wide frying pan and set it over medium heat. Cook slowly for 8 to 10 minutes until the fat has rendered and the strips are golden and crisp. Turn off the heat and leave the fat in the pan.
- 03
Finely grate the . In a bowl, whisk the , the whole , 80 g of the and 1½ tsp of the into a thick paste.
- 04
Cook the until just al dente. Before draining, scoop out a cup of the cooking water and keep it.
- 05
Tip the drained into the pan with the and toss over low heat for 30 seconds so every strand is coated in the fat. Take the pan off the heat.
- 06
Wait a few seconds for the pan to cool slightly, then pour in the paste from the bowl and toss quickly and constantly. Add cooking water a tablespoon at a time until the sauce is creamy and coats the pasta. The heat of the pasta cooks the ; the pan must not be over a flame or they will scramble.
- 07
Serve straight away with the remaining and on top.
Notes
- Pancetta or thick-cut bacon works if you cannot find guanciale, though the flavour is milder.
- Parmesan can replace half of the pecorino for a less sharp sauce.
- The sauce thickens as it sits, so serve it the moment it is ready.
- The eggs are only lightly cooked by the heat of the pasta; if serving anyone pregnant, elderly or unwell, use pasteurised eggs.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 690 kcal
- Protein
- 30 g
- Carbs
- 76 g
- Fat
- 29 g
Estimated from the ingredients.
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