Spaghetti Carbonara is a classic Italian pasta dish that typically consists of spaghetti noodles, eggs, Parmesan cheese, pancetta or guanciale (Italian cured pork jowl), and black pepper. Here’s a simple recipe to make Spaghetti Carbonara:
Ingredients:
- 350g spaghetti
- 150g pancetta or guanciale, diced
- 3 large eggs
- 75g grated Parmesan cheese
- 50g grated Pecorino Romano cheese (optional)
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Salt (for pasta water)
- Olive oil (optional)
Instructions:
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook according to package instructions until al dente.
- While the pasta is cooking, heat a drizzle of olive oil (if using) in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced pancetta or guanciale and cook until crispy and golden brown, about 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, grated Parmesan cheese, and grated Pecorino Romano cheese (if using). Season with a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper.
- Once the spaghetti is cooked, reserve about 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the spaghetti and return it to the pot.
- Immediately add the cooked pancetta or guanciale to the pot with the spaghetti and toss to combine.
- Quickly pour the egg and cheese mixture over the hot spaghetti and pancetta/guanciale. Toss everything together quickly and thoroughly, using tongs or a pasta fork, ensuring that the eggs coat the pasta evenly. If the sauce seems too thick, add a splash of the reserved pasta cooking water to thin it out.
- Serve the Spaghetti Carbonara immediately, garnished with additional grated Parmesan cheese and black pepper if desired. Enjoy!
Note: It’s important to toss the egg and cheese mixture with the hot pasta quickly to avoid scrambling the eggs. The residual heat from the pasta will cook the eggs, creating a creamy sauce. If you’re concerned about using raw eggs, you can temper them by adding a small amount of the hot pasta water to the egg and cheese mixture before combining it with the spaghetti.
