Original Spaghetti Carbonara
The Roman classic with Guanciale, Pecorino and creamy egg sauce, completely without cream.
- Preparation
- 10 min
- Cook/bake time
- 15 min
- Total
- 25 min
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
The Roman classic with Guanciale, Pecorino and creamy egg sauce, completely without cream. The secret lies in the timing: The eggs set only through the residual heat of the pasta and combine with the pasta water to form a silky sauce that clings to the spaghetti just like in the best trattoria in Rome.
Step-by-step instructions
- 1
Prepare the Guanciale
First, cut the hard rind off the Guanciale and divide the meat into strips about 1 cm wide. Put them into a large, cold pan without any additional fat, and then render them slowly over medium heat. After 6 to 8 minutes, the fat will render out and the strips will become golden brown and wonderfully crispy. Stir occasionally so nothing burns, and then remove the pan from the heat. The rendered fat stays in, because that is exactly where the full flavor of your sauce will come from later.
- 2
Cook the pasta
Bring plenty of water to a boil in a large pot and salt it generously, it should taste like a light sea breeze. Now add the spaghetti and cook according to the package instructions until al dente, meaning with a noticeable bite in the center. About a minute before the end, scoop out a large cup of the cloudy, starchy pasta water and set it aside. This water is your secret for the creamy sauce, so definitely do not pour it away.
- 3
Mix the egg cream
Whisk the egg yolks and the whole egg in a bowl with the finely grated Pecorino until a smooth, thick paste forms. Season generously with freshly ground black pepper, you can be quite bold here. Now stir in a little hot pasta water by the spoonful so that the mixture slowly gets used to the heat and does not curdle later. It is perfect when it runs viscously off the spoon.
- 4
Combine everything
The spaghetti now goes dripping wet and straight from the pot to the Guanciale in the pan. Toss them for a few seconds so they soak up the aromatic fat. And now the most important moment: The pan must be off the heat. Quickly pour the egg cream over the hot pasta and mix everything vigorously. Gradually add a little sip of pasta water, keep stirring until a glossy, silky sauce forms that coats every single noodle.
- 5
Serve
Now you have to be quick: Serve the Carbonara immediately on pre-warmed plates, because it tastes best fresh and sets quickly when standing. Sprinkle a little more Pecorino over each portion and grind a good amount of fresh black pepper on top. If you like, twirl the spaghetti with a fork into a high nest, just like in a Roman trattoria. Buon appetito!
