Spaghetti Carbonara
Does This Count As Breakfast?
This simple Roman dish is so amazing. While many are intimidated by making this dish, follow this recipe for a flawless execution every time!
Steps
Tap a step to mark it done.
- Bring a pot of water to a boil. While that happens whisk together the eggs, egg yolks, cheese and black pepper in a bowl and set aside.
- When the water is at a rolling boil, place the pasta in the water and cook for ~1 minute less than al dente (we will finish cooking in the pan). Make sure to reserve ~1 C pasta water!
- While the pasta cooks, place your olive oil, pancetta or guanciale in a cold pan on medium heat. Let the fat render out and cook until crispy ~5 minutes. The timing should work out so that the pork is done when the pasta is. If not simply remove from heat until the pasta is done.
- When the pasta is ready and the pancetta/guanciale is crispy, transfer the past to the pan with about 1/2 C of pasta water. Cook on medium heat and stir constantly. This will finish the pasta, make an emulsion with the fat and deglaze the pan all in one step.
- Transfer the pasta / pork mixture to a very large pan and allow it to cool for a minute or two. You want it still hot but not straight out the pan hot.
- Then add 1/4 C of pasta water and the egg mixture to the pasta and stir vigorously with tongs or large fork. The pasta water, fat and egg/cheese mixture should turn into this silky sauce. Do not do this in a hot pan over heat, the eggs will cook and you will get scrambled egg pasta! Add more pasta water if it is too thick.
- Top with some more cheese and pepper and enjoy!
