Craving a delicious and authentic Italian pasta dish? Look no further than this simple carbonara recipe, featuring just five ingredients and a clever technique for achieving that creamy, indulgent texture.
The secret lies in the gentle cooking of the eggs. Michelin-trained chef Danilo Cortellini recommends using a bain-marie to heat the eggs slowly, preventing scrambling and ensuring a perfectly smooth sauce. This method, coupled with the right ingredients, delivers restaurant-quality results in your own kitchen.
This recipe serves four people and can be whipped up in under 20 minutes. While any pasta shape will work, spaghetti is the traditional choice. Similarly, you can use either guanciale or pancetta for a rich, salty flavor.
Here’s what you’ll need:
*
Ingredients:
* 400g guanciale or pancetta, ring removed and chopped into strips
* Two free-range eggs, plus four free-range egg yolks
* 50g pecorino romano, grated, plus 30g to serve
* 90g grand padano or parmesan, grated, plus 30g to serve
* 400g spaghetti
* Salt and freshly ground pepper
Method:
1.
Cook the guanciale:
Gently fry the guanciale or pancetta in a frying pan over low heat for 10 to 15 minutes. This allows the fat to render slowly and the guanciale to crisp up beautifully. Transfer it to kitchen paper and pat dry. Discard three-quarters of the fat from the pan, leaving the rest for the pasta.2.
Prepare the sauce:
In a large heatproof glass bowl, whisk together the yolks, eggs, and grated cheeses. Place this bowl over a saucepan of gently simmering water (make sure the water doesn’t touch the bottom of the bowl). Whisk constantly until the mixture thickens into a custard-like consistency. A kitchen thermometer can be used to check the temperature (aim for 62°C), but this step isn’t essential.3.
Cook the pasta:
Drop the spaghetti into a large saucepan of salted boiling water and cook according to the package instructions. Drain the pasta, reserving a mug of the cooking water.4.
Combine and finish:
Add the pasta to the frying pan with the reserved fat and toss well. Pour the sauce over the pasta, and add a splash of pasta water to loosen the sauce and create a creamy consistency. Stir and toss to coat evenly. Finally, add the crispy guanciale and plenty of freshly ground black pepper.5.
