Spaghetti Carbonara

Spaghetti Carbonara

I have always loved Spaghetti Carbonara. At least I thought I did. The cream sauce with bacon and pasta was delicious, but it turns out that what I and so many others had been eating was not Carbonara. A real Italian Carbonara has no cream. Instead, the tasty cheesy sauce is traditionally made with eggs, cheese, and water – no cream, milk, etc. I didn’t know that, and I bet neither did you. I am not Italian, but I think this recipe would cause less offense than that of the cream sauce we have all been enjoying. However, what you are about to make is going to taste better than any cream sauce you have tried before. To make proper Carbonara for two people, you will need:

Ingredients

• Spaghetti – as much as you need for two people
• Salt
• Black Pepper 
• Olive Oil 
• Guanciale (An Italian cured pork cheek) – Bacon or Pancetta will do if you can’t get your hands on Guanciale – Enough for two people 
• 2 Medium-sized Eggs 
• Pecorino cheese or Parmesan cheese (I understand that Pecorino is more traditional, but not as readily available as Parmesan.) – 2 Tablespoons 
• 2 Cloves of Garlic (Optional but again, I don’t believe it is traditional – any Italians, correct me if I am wrong.)

As you can see, you need 5 ingredients plus salt, pepper, and olive oil, easy, right? 

So Let's Get Cooking.

1. First things first, get a saucepan large enough for your spaghetti and fill it with water. Add a pinch of salt to the water. Leave your water to start boiling.

2. Dice up your Guanciale (or alternative) and grate your cheese.

3. At this point, your water should be boiling, so add your pasta –It should take 7-8 minutes to cook. 

4. Get a frying pan and add a splash of olive oil. Then add your meat. Using the palm of your hand, crack the garlic and then also add that to your pan. Turn up the heat to medium-high, and the fat from the meat will start to render. Get ready for some amazing smells. 

5. As your meat starts to fry off, add some black pepper to the pan. 

6. Now its time for the sauce. Get your eggs and crack them into a bowl. Add your grated cheese to the egg and whisk them together.

7. Once you have some nice crispy Guanciale, remove your garlic from the pan and turn off the heat. 

8.  Now take your cooked pasta and add it to the pan of meat. Also, take some of the pasta water and add that to the pan – this will stop the frying process. The water and fat from the meat will form the base of your sauce. We are talking about two or three tablespoons of water only. Don’t put the whole pan in…

  

  9. Once the frying has stopped, you want to add your egg and cheese mixture. Now stir that egg/cheese mix in with your pasta, meat, and water. Add more water to get a creamier sauce. Keep stirring with a fork or pair of tongs until you have a good sauce consistency but be careful not to scramble your eggs.

10. Plate and sprinkle some cheese and black pepper on top.

Enjoy with an optional glass of wine!