The secret of a good carbonara
To make a good carbonara, you need quality ingredients and proper technique. Here's a traditional recipe for pasta alla carbonara:
Ingredients:
- 200 g of spaghetti or rigatoni
- 100 g of guanciale
- 2 large eggs
- 40 g of grated pecorino romano and 20g of parmigiano reggiano
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions:
Preparing the guanciale:
Cut the guanciale into strips or cubes.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the guanciale. Cook until it becomes crispy and the fat has rendered. Do not add oil or butter; the guanciale will release its own fat.
Once crispy, remove the guanciale from the skillet and set it aside. Leave the fat in the skillet.
Cooking the pasta:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
Cook the pasta until al dente.
Making the egg and cheese mixture:
In a bowl, separate two yolk (one a person) beat them with the grated pecorino romano and parmigiano. Put a generous amount of black pepper. The consistency should be so much creamy and uniform. Then a little tip: Put the oil from the guianciale here the keep beating the cream.
Combining the ingredients:
When the pasta is ready, drain it, but reserve a cup of the cooking water.
Add the pasta to the skillet with the guanciale and toss to coat.
Remove the skillet from the heat and wait a few seconds so it’s not too hot, preventing the eggs from scrambling.
Pour the egg and cheese mixture over the pasta and quickly toss to create a creamy sauce. If needed, add a bit of the reserved pasta water to achieve the desired consistency.
Serving:
Add the crispy guanciale left you saved before back to the pasta and toss again.
Serve immediately with an extra sprinkle of pecorino and black pepper, if desired.
Tips:
Use a yolk a person and don't forget to put the oil from the guinaciale in the yolk cheese mixture.
Work quickly when mixing the eggs with the pasta to avoid scrambling.
Pecorino romano is essential for the authentic flavor of carbonara.
Following these steps, you should achieve a creamy and flavorful carbonara, respecting the Italian tradition. Enjoy your meal!
