Italian recipe
How to make Spaghetti alla carbonara
Rome, Lazio
Spaghetti tossed with crispy guanciale (cured pork cheek), eggs, Pecorino Romano cheese and plenty of black pepper. The creamy sauce comes from the eggs and cheese, not from cream.
Ingredients
- 400 g spaghetti
- 150 g guanciale (or pancetta), cut into strips
- 4 egg yolks and 1 whole egg (the eggs are only gently cooked: use pasteurised eggs for pregnant women, young children, older people or anyone with a weak immune system)
- 60 g Pecorino Romano, finely grated, plus extra to serve
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Salt for the pasta water
Method
- Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil and cook the spaghetti until al dente.
- Meanwhile, fry the guanciale in a dry pan over medium heat until golden and crispy. Turn off the heat.
- In a bowl, whisk the yolks, the whole egg, the Pecorino and a generous amount of black pepper into a thick paste.
- Drain the pasta, keeping a cup of the cooking water. Add the pasta to the pan with the guanciale and toss.
- Away from the heat, pour in the egg mixture and a splash of pasta water. Stir quickly until the sauce is creamy. The pan must not be too hot, or the eggs will scramble.
- Serve at once with extra Pecorino and pepper.
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