Spaghetti alla Carbonara is an Italian classic from the region of Lazio and, like many traditional dishes, there are now lots of variations on this theme. Our tagliatelle alla carbonara, for example, is a rich and creamy version for those who like their pasta with an indulgent twist. However, today’s recipe adheres very closely to the original version of this dish, and is our head chef Roberta’s go-to meal when she’s looking for quick, warming and whole-heartedly Italian comfort food. This dish only requires a few components, but the outcome is always more delicious if you find the highest quality ingredients available. For example, splashing out on eggs with rich, golden yolks will enhance your carbonara endlessly and using the finest guanciale that you can lay your hands on will ensure the best flavour in your dish. Also be sure to watch the video below to follow along as Roberta makes this classic carbonara.
Make Roberta’s Delicious Carbonara
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 15 minutes
Serves: 4
Calories per serving: 846 kcal
Ingredients
- 450g diced guanciale
- 450g spaghetti (follow our fresh pasta recipe if you’d like to make your own)
- 3 egg yolks
- 10tbsp Pecorino Romano cheese, grated
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Method
- Fry the guanciale in a large skillet, there’s no need to add any oil to the pan as when the guanciale cooks it will release fat that will help the meat to cook. Fry for 5-10 minutes until the meat has browned and become crispy, then remove from the heat.
- Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil, cook the spaghetti in the water until very al dente (we suggest subtracting two minutes from the time advised on the packet). When cooked, drain the pasta, reserving a cup of the pasta water.
- Whisk the egg yolks in a bowl with most of the Pecorino Romano to form a paste and then add this to the pan of drained pasta (ensuring your hob is turned off), along with about 2tbsp of the reserved pasta water and a generous amount of black pepper. Mix together until smooth and creamy.
- Transfer the guanciale to the pasta pan and toss everything together so that each strand of spaghetti is generously coated in the sauce and the guanciale is evenly distributed throughout.
- Top with the remaining Pecorino Romano cheese and more black pepper to taste. Buon appetito!
Roberta’s Top Tip: Don’t preheat the guanciale pan, put the meat in a cold pan and then turn on the hob, this way it will slowly release the delicious fat as it cooks!
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