Eggs, Pancetta, Pasta, Quick recipe

Carbonara – Carbonara

I guess this is one of the most famous Italian recipes, and hence, it does not need a long introduction. And no, you don't read double, but this is one of the few Italian dishes that maintained its original name! Hence the double "Carbonara" you read in the English - Italian title. The version I am describing here is not THE original one due to the choice of ingredients. Still, it presents ingredients that are easier to find in the US: Parmesan cheese instead of Pecorino cheese, and pancetta instead of guanciale (at least, it's not bacon!). Read the recipe to discover how to make the creamiest sauce for your carbonara!

Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 35 min

$3-5 total*

2 people

Ingredients

60 g (about 2.1 oz) pancetta (better if you find guanciale, or, worst of the case, bacon)
1 egg yolk
1 whole egg
30 g (1 oz) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Freshly ground black pepper
200 g (7 oz) linguine pasta (or better spaghetti)

Preparation

Bring one large pot of water to a boil.

Meanwhile, cut the pancetta into cubes (I actually bought pancetta that was already cut in cubes), and finely grate the Parmesan cheese.

Heat a large skillet and (without additional oil!) add pancetta and cook for about 1-2 minutes at medium-high heat to make it crisp. Decrease the heat to low-medium and let it cook for 5 additional minutes, stirring occasionally.

Whisk the egg yolk and the whole egg in a medium bowl. Add 3/4 of the grated cheese (the remaining 1/4 is used on top of the pasta).

Salt the water and boil the pasta, stirring occasionally. Drain 2 minutes before the time indicated on the package.

Before draining the pasta, save 1/2 cup pasta cooking water. Pour 1/4 cup (half of the reserved water) into the eggs and cheese mixture.

Discard almost all the fat of the pancetta from the skillet (leave in about 1 tbsp) and add the pasta.

Stir the pasta and the pancetta for a few seconds. Then, remove the skillet from the heat and add the eggs and cheese mixture. Keep stirring constantly and vigorously. Only when the ingredients are incorporated, turn on the heat at very low heat and keep stirring the remaining 1/4 cup of water a tablespoon at a time. You will see that the creamy and glossy sauce will start to form! Stop stirring when you’ll reach your desired consistency of the cream.

Serve pasta in bowls topping with pepper and the reserved cheese.

Tips & notes

The stirring part of the procedure is essential to form the cream of the carbonara!
Avoid doing the last steps with the heat on otherwise you’ll get a “frittata” with the eggs.
It is suggested to eat the pasta immediately and not store it for later.
The original recipe calls for spaghetti, but since I was not doing the original recipe anyway, I used the long pasta I usually have at home and love: linguine! I think I can be excused as it is anyway a long pasta, as spaghetti – or maybe I am becoming too American? 😉
I found pancetta at Mariano’s in Chicago, but I guess it can be bought somewhere else (maybe Whole Foods?).