Carbonara Pasta
Total Time: 30m
Description: Pasta Carbonara is a classic Italian dish made with pasta (typically spaghetti), a creamy sauce of eggs, Pecorino Romano cheese, and crispy pancetta or guanciale, flavored with black pepper. It’s known for its rich, savory taste and simple preparation, where the heat of the pasta cooks the sauce for a silky texture without the use of cream.
Steps
Heat the pasta water
Put a large pot of salted water on to boil (1 tablespoon salt for every 2 quarts of water.)
Sauté the pancetta or bacon and garlic
While the water is coming to a boil, heat the olive oil or butter in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the bacon or pancetta and cook slowly until crispy. Add the garlic (if using) and cook another minute, then turn off the heat and put the pancetta and garlic into a large bowl.
Beat the eggs and half of the cheese
In a small bowl, beat the eggs and mix in about half of the cheese
Cook the pasta
Once the water has reached a rolling boil, add the dry pasta, and cook, uncovered, at a rolling boil.
Toss the pasta with pancetta or bacon
When the pasta is al dente (still a little firm, not mushy), use tongs to move it to the bowl with the bacon and garlic. Let it be dripping wet. Reserve some of the pasta water. Move the pasta from the pot to the bowl quickly, as you want the pasta to be hot. Its the heat of the pasta that will heat the eggs sufficiently to create a creamy sauce. Toss everything to combine, allowing the pasta to cool just enough so that it doesnt make the eggs curdle when you mix them in. (Thats the tricky part.)
Add the beaten egg mixture
Add the beaten eggs with cheese and toss quickly to combine once more. Add salt to taste. Add some pasta water back to the pasta to keep it from drying out
Ingredients
Water
2
liters
Salt
1
tablespoon
Olive Oil
1
tablespoon
Bacon
0.5
pounds
Garlic
1
teaspoon
Egg
4
unit
Parmesan cheese
0.5
cup
Spaghetti
1
pounds