Feb 15, 2012

Spaghetti alla Carbonara

To make this dish the traditional Roman way, mix the cheese, eggs, pepper, and pork in a bowl to create a thick sauce before tossing it with the pasta. This recipe appeared in Eternal Pleasures, author Anya von Bremzen's tribute to classic Roman dishes (April 2010).

Credit: André Baranowski

SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS

4 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
4 oz. thinly sliced guanciale or pancetta cut into 1⁄2" pieces
2 tsp. freshly cracked black pepper, plus more to taste
1 3⁄4 cups finely grated Parmesan
1 egg plus 3 yolks
Kosher salt, to taste
1 lb. spaghetti

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat oil in a 10" skillet over medium heat. Add guanciale and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, 6�8 minutes. Add pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, 2 minutes more. Transfer guanciale mixture to a large bowl and let cool slightly; stir in 1 1⁄2 cups Parmesan and egg and yolks and stir to combine; set aside.

2. Meanwhile, bring a 6-qt. pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta; cook until al dente, 8�10 minutes. Reserve 3⁄4 cup water; drain pasta and transfer it to guanciale mixture. Toss, adding pasta water a little at a time to make a creamy sauce. Season with salt and pepper; serve with remaining Parmesan.

This article was first published in Saveur in Issue #128

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Ratings & Reviews (19)

by macbrown on 2010-03-20

This recipe was excellent. It was easy to make and the texture was very smooth. Enjoyed by all from 6 to 60.

by dmbrownuc on 2010-04-11

I found that this was too much pepper - it overpowered the parmesan and bacon, yes, bacon. However, I made a few changes/mistakes that may have lead to this result. I sub'd bacon for pancetta, and I only cooked the pepper for about a minute - so that may have lead to my result. That said, I'm not afraid of pepper, so I think it was just too much. Next time, I'll halve it.

by gnaratadam on 2010-04-18

We really enjoyed the recipe but found it was too much black pepper as well.

by ricomon2 on 2010-04-20

I found this recipe along with the accompanying article detailing the proper procedure was excellent... it was creamy and had great flavor using the pancetta and, yes, even the freshly ground pepper. It's almost as good as the neighborhood bistro's dish so I still have a little work to do.

by I.M.Purple@gmail.com on 2010-05-17

I substituted with bacon as well. I eyeballed the pepper so not sure if the full amount was used but it was quite delicious. Found the pepper went nicely with the smokiness of bacon against the creaminess of the eggs and cheese. Very simple and delicious.

by IRISHMAIDEN67 on 2010-05-24

This was so easy and the family loved it! I too subbed bacon and it was wonderful. Definately will make this one again.

by Themomchef on 2010-07-02

This was absolutely fantastic. Exactly like I remember from my visit to Italy. See my entire review at: http://themomchef.blogspot.com/2010/07/spaghetti-alla-carbonara-from-saveur.html

by melodie1974 on 2010-11-01

We loved it. Yes, lots of pepper but I love pepper so it was perfect for me. I only had 3 eggs left in the fridge so I used 1 whole and 2 yolks. It seemed to work fine. I had cooked a whole ham last week so I used cut up bits of that that I browed. It became caramelized and tasted just like lardons. I also added a small purple brocoli that was in the fridage. I added the florets to the last 2 minutes of the pasta cooking. Will definitely do again.

by RebekahC on 2010-12-20

Each of the diners at my table loved the recipe. There is a pleasing balance of texture between the creamy sauce and the crisp pancetta.
Some reviewers mentioned that the pepper was too strong, but also that they used bacon. This was likely the cause as a lot of bacon comes with pepper already on it. If using bacon, I'd cut the amount of pepper in half.
Also, make sure to grind pepper very fine, almost to a powder. If you use pepper that is coursely ground, the flavor will be less integrated, and more piquant.

by marisad4 on 2010-12-20

there are often minor adjustments that can be made in a recipe, however, substituting bacon for pancetta or guincale is not one of them. that said you cannot complain about too much anything, pepper etc., if you have made these adjustments....i have used prosciutto as a replacement in the past and although passable, not nearly as good...not enough fat

by kayacanoya on 2010-12-21

Good recipe. Even more pepper may go well with it. The meaning of carbonara lies there, black as coal ;) I too, use bacon.
www.kedilimutfaklar.blogspot.com

by jmarnell on 2010-12-21

After visiting Rome a few years ago, I went on a mission to find the best Spaghetti Carbonara recipe that I could find. THIS IS IT!
Pancetta & "cracked pepper" make it authentic.
Pancetta is relatively easy to find . . . so no need to substitute bacon.
Enjoy!

by NEILEO27 on 2011-01-25

Delicious! Great authentic recipe and not overly complicated.

by sbmull on 2011-04-20

This is an authentic recipe for this dish, so substituting any main ingredients, will yield a different result and there are no complaining rights. However, you may create your variation of a classic to fit your personal tastes. I think Carbonara benefits from a little garlic, so I saute a minced, large clove in the olive oil before adding the meat. I may add chopped parsley or a sprinkle of thyme or some thinly fresh basil leaves. Or pour in a jigger of white wine or dry sherry at the end. It tastes different, but it's what I want. The secret of being a great cook is to learn how to do the basics correctly, then innovate.

by sbmull on 2011-04-20

by smesa on 2012-04-08

It was simple and absolutely delicious. It went perfectly with my first attempt at making pasta that turned out perfect.

by rnelson on 2012-11-17

My goodness was this gooooood. So easy, so tasty. Do NOT cut the pepper. EXCELLENT. Used Pancetta.

by HEALTHYEATER on 2013-01-29

The recipe clearly states it is a traditional Roman recipe. Bacon as a substitute is just that: a substitute that totally alters the recipe rendering it a non-Italian dish, ie, an American rendition of a classic Roman dish. Both are tasty, I make it with bacon when I am out of guanciale. Pancetta or bacon do not create that unique texture of guanciale. That is the original ingredient of this Roman classic dish.

by ZEROJOHNNYX on 2013-03-16

So, the eggs don't get cooked?

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