Authentic Italian Carbonara
The Roman method: spaghetti tossed with crisp guanciale, egg yolks, Pecorino Romano, black pepper and starchy pasta water into a glossy sauce. No cream, about 25 minutes.
Ingredients
- 400 g spaghetti, rigatoni, tonnarelli or mezze maniche 14 oz
- 1 tbsp fine sea salt about 18 g, for 4 litres / 4 quarts water
- 150 g guanciale or thick-cut unsmoked pancetta 5 oz, rind removed, cut into 1 cm x 5 mm / ⅜ x ¼ in strips
- 5 large egg yolks at room temperature
- 1 large whole egg at room temperature
- 100 g Pecorino Romano 3 ½ oz, finely grated, about 1 cup, plus extra to serve
- 2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
Instructions
- Bring 4 litres (4 quarts) of water to a boil and add the salt.
- Put the guanciale in a large cold pan over medium-low heat. Cook 8–10 minutes, stirring now and then, until the fat is translucent and the edges are golden and crisp. Turn off the heat.
- Whisk the yolks, whole egg, pecorino and pepper into a thick paste.
- Cook the pasta 1 minute less than the package time. Whisk 2–3 tbsp hot pasta water into the egg mixture.
- Reserve 360 ml (1 ½ cups) pasta water, then drain. Add the pasta to the guanciale with 60 ml (¼ cup) pasta water and toss over medium heat for 1 minute.
- Take the pan off the heat and wait 30–60 seconds until it stops sizzling.
- Add the egg mixture and toss constantly for 1–2 minutes, adding pasta water a little at a time, until the sauce is thick, glossy and creamy. Leave it slightly loose; it thickens as it sits.
- Serve immediately with extra pecorino and pepper.
Notes
Eggs thicken at about 65°C (150°F) and turn grainy above about 70°C (158°F). Keep the pan off the heat; if the sauce stays runny, return it to the lowest heat for 10–15 seconds at a time while tossing.
For more control, toss the pasta with the eggs in a heatproof bowl set over the pot of simmering water.
Cream variation (not traditional): whisk 60 ml (¼ cup) heavy cream into the egg mixture and use less pasta water.
The eggs are not reliably heated to a safe temperature; use pasteurised eggs for vulnerable guests.
Best eaten straight away. Leftovers: fridge up to 2 days, reheat gently with a splash of water.