Spaghetti Carbonara

Carbonara Spaghetti

When you visit Rome, be sure to explore Trastevere and savour Carbonara at one of its traditional restaurants or trattorie. I promise, you'll always remember the authentic taste of Roman Carbonara. If you're interested in the dish's history, I can tell you that the version we know today is relatively recent. Earlier versions, though significantly different, existed in the 1700s and 1800s. The recipe most similar to the current one dates back to 1954, although it used pancetta instead of guanciale. Guanciale was introduced in 1960, and cream, which was removed from recipe books in the '80s-'90s. We adore this dish, easy and quick to prepare, regardless of its origins: Roman, Neapolitan, or even American, today it is found in all Italian recipe books as an Italian dish.

Rigatoni is the traditional pasta for this dish, but let's be honest, carbonara with spaghetti is just as delightful as with rigatoni: so, whether it's Carbonara with spaghetti or rigatoni, the choice is yours or simply depends on what's in your cupboard!

What is certain is that ever since I discovered guanciale is available in few shops in London, this dish frequently makes an appearance in my kitchen.

Good to know

Guanciale is not always available in the UK and globally. A common alternative is Italian smoked pancetta, which is also delicious and more readily available in supermarkets. Using pancetta and pecorino Romano cheese in Carbonara spaghetti or rigatoni can make the dish quite salty, so a useful tip is to decrease the amount of salt in the pasta water to balance the seasoning.

Ingredients serves 4

• Spaghetti or rigatoni, 400 g

• Guanciale (or smoked pancetta), 200 g

• Eggs (medium), 4 yolks and 1 albumen

• Pecorino Romano, 200 g

• Salt and pepper

Let's Jump to the method

1. Prepare all the ingredients.

2. If you have a whole 200 g guanciale, start by slicing off the outer skin with a sharp knife. Then, cut it lengthwise to create two long strips, which will determine the thickness. Next, slice across to make 1 cm thick strips. Set aside.

3. Prepare a large pot of water for 400 g of spaghetti or rigatoni and bring it to a boil. Ideally, use 1 litre of water and 10 g of salt for every 100 g of pasta, but for carbonara, use 7 g of salt per litre.

4. Meanwhile, place a frying pan on the stove, add the guanciale (no oil needed), and let it cook slowly until golden brown but not burnt. Set aside.

5. Prepare the eggs. In a bowl, crack the eggs and separate the yolks from the whites. Use 1 yolk per person and just 1 egg white for the entire sauce. Beat the eggs with grated pecorino Romano to form a cream, adding abundant pepper and salt. The resulting cream should be quite thick; if not, add more pecorino. Set aside.

6. Once the guanciale is cooked, transfer it to a plate. When cooled, add the fat from the frying pan to the egg and cheese mixture. Stir again and set both the guanciale and egg mixture aside. Keep the frying pan handy as you'll need it later.

7. When the water is boiling, add the salt, then add the spaghetti or rigatoni. Follow the cooking time on the package.

8. After the pasta is cooked, place the frying pan back on the stove, warm it up, and add the cooked spaghetti or rigatoni; reserve the pasta water.

9. Add a ladle of pasta water to the pasta and toss for a few minutes. Then add the guanciale and toss again. Remove from heat and add the egg and pecorino creamy mixture. Add more water if necessary. Toss again.

10. Serve your Carbonara spaghetti or rigatoni and enjoy your meal!

    
    

Carbonara spaghetti or rigatoni