Carbonara
Carbonara is a simple dish. The quality of your ingredients makes or breaks it. I recommend using the best ingredients you can source. Suggestions: bronze extruded pasta, 24 months aged Parmigiano-Reggiano, 12+ months aged Pecorino Romano, guanciale from the butcher, and organic eggs. This recipe assumes medium eggs.
Served with simple green salad.
Ingredients for 2
- 5 ½ oz Spaghetti: 320 g |
- 2 ½ Eggs
- 2 ½ oz Guanciale or Smoked Pancetta (cleaned and cubed): 150 g |
- Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano-Reggiano (grated)(optional)
Side: Simple green salad
- 3 oz spring mix
- ½ cucumber
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
Instructions
-
Crack the eggs in a bowl but only add the yolks. Add a generous amount of your preferred grated cheese (Pecorino or Parmigiano) around 35g (you can optionally add a dash of black pepper).
-
Fill a pot with water and salt it less than typical pasta water. When it boils, cook the pasta one minute less than advised.
-
Fry the preferred pork (Guanciale or Smoked Pancetta) in an iron or nonstick pan (if using a different kind of pan add a dash of extra virgin olive oil) on low to medium heat until the sides are crisp but the insides are chewy.
-
While everything is being cooked and fried, beat the eggs manually using a fork until everything is entirely liquid. Remember to watch the time.
-
Make the salad: slice the cucumber and toss it with the spring mix, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper.
-
When your pasta is done (-1 minute), drain it and put it in the bowl with eggs. At this step you may consider the timing: if the pasta is too hot you will cook the eggs, and some people don't like it this way, so just wait for a minute. Keep moving and stirring to fully incorporate the eggs. Add guanciale and as many fats remaining in the pan as you want. Keep moving and stirring.
-
Plate and optionally garnish with the preferred grated cheese and black pepper. Voila.