Comforting Ultimate Italian Spaghetti Carbonara
This beginner-friendly Spaghetti Carbonara recipe combines crispy pancetta, a creamy egg and cheese sauce, and perfectly cooked pasta for a simple, delicious Italian meal.
Ingredients
- 100 grams pancetta
- 50 grams pecorino cheese
- 50 grams parmesan cheese
- 3 eggs large
- 350 grams spaghetti
- 2 garlic cloves whole and peeled
- 50 grams unsalted butter
- Sea salt
- black pepper freshly ground
Instructions
Start by boiling water
- Fill a large saucepan with water and place it on the stove to bring it to a boil.
Prepare the pancetta and cheese
- While waiting for the water to boil, chop the pancetta into small pieces after removing the rind. Grate both the pecorino and parmesan cheeses, then mix them together in a bowl and set aside.
Beat the eggs
- In a separate bowl, crack the eggs and whisk them until smooth.Add a pinch of freshly ground black pepper to season the eggs, and set this aside as well.
Cook the spaghetti
- Once the water is boiling, add 1 teaspoon of salt, then put the spaghetti in the pot. Let it cook for about 10 minutes or until al dente (just cooked through but still firm).Stir the pasta occasionally to prevent it from sticking.
Prepare the garlic
- Lightly crush the garlic cloves by pressing them with the flat side of a knife. This releases their flavor without cutting them up.
Fry the pancetta and garlic
- While the pasta is cooking, melt the butter in a large frying pan or wok over medium heat.Once the butter has melted, add the pancetta and garlic to the pan.Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the pancetta turns golden and crisp.After that, remove and discard the garlic with a slotted spoon.
Combine the spaghetti with pancetta
- Lower the heat under the pancetta.When the spaghetti is ready, use tongs or a pasta fork to lift it directly from the pot into the pan with the pancetta.A little bit of pasta water is fine, so don't worry about draining it completely. Save the remaining pasta water for later.
Mix the eggs and cheese
- Stir most of the grated cheese into the beaten eggs, keeping a small portion aside for sprinkling over the finished dish.
Add the egg mixture to the pasta
- Take the frying pan off the heat and quickly pour the egg and cheese mixture over the spaghetti.Using tongs or a long fork, toss the pasta gently so the sauce coats the spaghetti without scrambling the eggs.The heat from the pasta will thicken the sauce into a creamy consistency.
Adjust the sauce
- If the pasta looks dry, add a few tablespoons of the reserved pasta water to moisten it.Stir until the sauce is glossy and coats the spaghetti evenly. Taste and add a little salt if needed.
Serve the dish
- Using a long-pronged fork, twist the pasta onto serving plates or bowls.Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top, along with a bit more freshly ground black pepper.If the pasta dries out before serving, add a splash of the reserved pasta water to revive the creamy texture.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!