Spaghetti alla Carbonara
A classic from Rome with only a few ingredients: guanciale, eggs, Pecorino Romano and black pepper. No cream is needed. The silky sauce comes from the eggs, the cheese and a little pasta water.
Method
Four steps · 25 minutesMake the egg mixture
Whisk the eggs, yolks and most of the pecorino with plenty of black pepper.
Fry the guanciale
Fry the guanciale in a large, cold pan over medium heat until the fat has melted and the strips are golden and crisp. Remove the pan from the heat.
Boil the pasta
Boil the spaghetti in salted water until just al dente. Save 2 dl of the pasta water and drain.
Bring it together
Toss the pasta with the guanciale and its fat, off the heat. Let it cool for a moment, then stir in the egg mixture and a splash of pasta water. Keep stirring until the sauce is smooth and creamy, adding more water if needed. Top with the rest of the pecorino and pepper.
Our tips
Keep the pan off the heat when you add the eggs. Too much heat gives you scrambled eggs.
Pancetta works if you cannot find guanciale, but guanciale gives the fuller flavour.
Save more pasta water than you think you need. Its starch is what makes the sauce cling to the pasta.
The eggs are only gently heated, so use fresh eggs. Choose a fully cooked dish if you are pregnant or cooking for someone with a weak immune system.
A lighter version
Fewer calories, same dishUse 75 g of guanciale instead of 150 g.
Use 3 whole eggs and skip the extra yolks.
Use 60 g of pecorino instead of 100 g.
Use 320 g of pasta instead of 400 g, and serve with a large salad.
With all the swaps, about 510 kcal per portion instead of about 770 kcal (estimate). The dish gets a little less rich.
- Energy
- about 770 kcal
- Protein
- about 27 g
- Fat
- about 40 g
- Carbohydrates
- about 73 g
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