Authentic Carbonara Pasta

15m
Serves 4
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Directions

  1. 1Place a handful of salt in a good amount of boiling water.
  2. 2Add the pasta (thin pastas like spaghetti are recommended) to the boiling water.
  3. 3Stir the pasta frequently during the first couple of minutes of cooking to prevent sticking.
  4. 4Separate the egg whites from the egg yolks, as only the yolks are needed for this recipe.
  5. 5Place the egg yolks in a bowl.
  6. 6Add a pinch of salt to each egg yolk.
  7. 7Add freshly ground black pepper to the egg yolks.
  8. 8Beat the yolks a bit.
  9. 9Add a generous amount of grated cheese (about 50 grams per person) to the egg yolks.
  10. 10Mix the egg yolks and cheese with a fork until well combined.
  11. 11In a frying pan, place bacon cut into squares over very high heat.
  12. 12Stir the bacon quickly and let it fry in its own fat for around 3 minutes until crispy.
  13. 13Remove the crispy bacon from the flame and add it to the bowl with the egg and cheese mix (this step is optional).
  14. 14When the pasta is al dente, drain it and add it to the bowl with the egg, cheese, and bacon mix.
  15. 15Add a bit of the pasta water to the sauce to thin it out.
  16. 16Mix all the ingredients together with a fork while the pasta is still warm to create a creamy sauce.
  17. 17Plate the carbonara and garnish with a little more freshly ground black pepper.

Ingredients

  • 400 g pasta
  • 1 handful salt
  • 4 egg yolks
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 200 g grated cheese (Pecorino or Parmesan)
  • 200 g bacon, cut into squares

Equipment

potbowlforkfrying pan

Tips

  • Add a good amount of salt to the boiling water to prevent bland pasta.
  • Use about 1 liter of water for every 100 grams of pasta to prevent sticking.
  • Stir pasta frequently during the first couple minutes of cooking.
  • Add bacon to the carbonara mix when it's crispy.
  • Add pasta water to thin out the sauce.
  • Mix all ingredients while the pasta is still warm to partially cook the egg yolks without curdling them.