Spaghetti Carbonara
Spaghetti Carbonara is a classic Italian pasta dish made by tossing hot spaghetti with crispy pancetta, eggs, Grana Padano, and black pepper to create a creamy sauce without cream.
Ingredients
- 200 g spaghetti
- 160 g pancetta or guanciale or bacon, diced
- 2 large eggs + 1 yolk for extra creaminess
- 50 g Grana Padano or Pecorino Romano finely grated
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Salt for pasta water
Instructions
- Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the spaghetti until done. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
- Cook the pancetta: In a pan over medium heat, cook the diced pancetta until crispy, about 4-5 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Prepare the sauce: In a heat-proof bowl, whisk the eggs, egg yolk, finely grated Grana Padano, and a generous amount of black pepper.
- Gently Heat the Sauce: Place the sauce bowl over the boiling pasta water, stirring continuously to warm the eggs gently and prevent scrambling.
- Combine Everything: Off the heat, add the drained pasta to the pan with the pancetta. Gradually mix the spaghetti into the egg and cheese mixture, incorporating reserved pasta water a little at a time until a smooth, creamy sauce forms.
- Serve: Plate immediately, topping with more grana Padano or Pecorino and black pepper.
Notes
The key to good Carbonara is technique. You must mix the sauce carefully. The eggs should not scramble. The heat from the pasta cooks the sauce gently. This creates a smooth and silky texture.