Italy Spaghetti Carbonara
A dish with worldwide fame, it’s unsurprising that so many legends surround the origins of spaghetti carbonara. Although its roots are Roman, some claim that carbonai (charcoal burners) toiling in remote mountains, concocted the dish using long-lasting staples such as pancetta and Parmesan. Others trace its creation to street cooks who used charcoal stoves to rustle up Army rations of bacon and eggs for American GIs during World War II. A more lyrical explanation alludes to the recipe’s addition of ground black pepper, said to resemble charcoal sprinklings. Origins aside, spaghetti carbonara is one of Italy’s simplest and most satisfying pasta dishes. Recipe Servings: Serves 4
Ingredients
- 2 large eggs and 1 egg yolk, at room temperature
- 1/3 cup (35 g) pecorino, freshly grated
- 1/3 cup (35 g) Parmesan, freshly grated
- 1 garlic clove, sliced
- 1 Tbsp (15 ml) extra virgin olive oil
- 3 1/2 oz (100 g) of pancetta, cut into thick slices
- 12 oz (340 g) dry spaghetti
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Directions
- Fill a large pot with salted water and bring to a boil over high heat. When water has boiled, add spaghetti and cook according to package instructions, or until al dente.
- While spaghetti is cooking, heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add garlic and cook until golden, around 1 minute.
- With a slotted spoon, remove garlic and discard. Add sliced pancetta to pan and sauté, stirring, until edges are lightly browned.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk eggs and yolk together with grated Pecorino and most of the Parmesan (leave a little for garnish). Add a generous amount of ground black pepper.
- Use a ladle to remove some water from the pasta pot. Reserve in a bowl and set aside before draining spaghetti.
- Once drained, stir pasta into pan with pancetta. Mix well, coating spaghetti with oil and pancetta fat.
- Remove pan from heat and pour in egg and cheese mixture, vigorously tossing pasta. When the sauce begins to thicken, add a splash of hot pasta water to achieve desired consistency.
- Garnish with leftover parmesan shavings and ground black pepper.
- Serve immediately.
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