Pasta
Spaghetti Carbonara
Spaghetti carbonara with crisp guanciale, pecorino romano, egg yolks, egg and black pepper, no cream. Serves 4, ready in 35 minutes.
- Total time
- 35 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Cuisine
- Italian
Ingredients
For the sauce
For the pasta
Method
Prepare the ingredients
Cut 150 g guanciale into strips about 1 cm wide and grate 80 g pecorino romano. Separate 4 yolks and have ready 1 whole egg, the pepper and 400 g spaghetti.
Whisk the sauce
In a bowl whisk 4 yolks, 1 whole egg, 80 g pecorino romano and 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper into a thick cream.
Boil the spaghetti
Bring 4 liters of water with 40 g coarse salt to a boil, add 400 g spaghetti and cook about 9 minutes, until al dente.
Crisp the guanciale
Meanwhile, put the guanciale in a large cold pan with no oil over medium-low heat and cook 8 minutes, until crisp and the fat has rendered. Turn off the heat.
Save some pasta water
Before draining, set aside 1 cup (about 200 ml) of the cooking water, then drain the spaghetti.
Toss with the guanciale
Add the spaghetti to the pan with the guanciale, off the heat, and toss for 30 seconds so it coats in the fat.
Add the sauce
Pour in the egg cream and 3 tablespoons of the reserved water and toss with tongs for 1 minute, off the heat, until creamy and not scrambled.
Serve
Serve right away in shallow bowls and finish with more pecorino and black pepper.
The step photos are illustrative.
Notes
Nutrition facts
1 serving (1/4 of the recipe)
- Protein
- 28.5 g
- Carbohydrates
- 77 g
- Fat
- 27.7 g
- Sodium
- 1436 mg
Estimate per serving. Guanciale is calculated with raw cured bacon and pecorino romano with romano cheese, as reference values. All the guanciale fat is counted even though some stays in the pan, and sodium depends on the guanciale, the cheese and the salt the pasta absorbs.
Reference source: USDA FoodData Central — SR Legacy (2018)
For general information only; it does not replace advice from a qualified health or nutrition professional.
About this recipe
Carbonara is a Roman pasta bound with egg yolks, egg, pecorino romano and pasta water, with no cream. The guanciale crisps in the pan with no oil, and the spaghetti is tossed with the egg cream off the heat.
The pasta cooks about 9 minutes, the guanciale 8 minutes, and the sauce finishes in 1 minute with no heat so the egg does not scramble. It serves 4.
Frequently asked questions
Does carbonara have cream?
No. The creaminess comes from the egg yolks, the pecorino romano and a little of the pasta cooking water.
Why does the egg not scramble?
Because everything is mixed off the heat with pasta water: the warmth of the pasta and the pan is enough to bind the sauce without setting the egg all at once.
What can I use if I have no guanciale?
You can use cured pancetta in strips. The flavor is a little smokier and less sweet, but the method is the same.
