Spaghetti carbonara
The real Roman carbonara: crispy guanciale, egg yolks and pecorino. No cream, just a silky sauce made in the pan.
- 25 min10 prep · 15 cook
- MediumDifficulty
- 690 kcalper serving
Ingredients
- Spaghetti400 g
- Guanciale or bacon150 g
- Egg yolks4
- Egg1
- Pecorino Romano, grated80 g
- Black pepperto taste
- Saltto taste
Missing something? Ingredients with × can be left out.
Steps
- 1
Bring a large pot of well-salted water to the boil.
- 2
Cut the guanciale into strips and fry it in a dry pan over medium heat until golden and crispy.
- 3
In a bowl, whisk the yolks, the whole egg, most of the pecorino and plenty of black pepper.
- 4
Cook the spaghetti until al dente. Keep a cup of the cooking water before draining.
- 5
Off the heat, toss the pasta with the guanciale. Pour in the egg mix and a splash of water and stir fast until creamy.
- 6
Serve straight away with the rest of the pecorino and more pepper.
Tips and questions
- Can I use cream?
- Not in the Roman version: the creaminess comes from egg yolks, pecorino and starchy pasta water emulsified off the heat.
- How do I stop the eggs from scrambling?
- Take the pan off the heat before adding the egg mixture and loosen it with a splash of pasta water; the sauce should thicken below 70 °C.
- Can I reheat leftovers?
- It is best eaten at once; if you must, reheat gently in a pan with a little water, stirring, so the egg doesn’t turn grainy. Don’t freeze it.
Enjoy your meal!
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