Classic Carbonara
Recipe
Italian

Classic Carbonara

Prep Time 20 minutes
Servings 2 people
Date Night Weeknight Comfort

The Story

An Italian guest watched me make this. He nodded once and said “corretto” — correct. That’s all I needed to hear.

Ingredients

  • 8 oz spaghetti
  • 4 oz guanciale or pancetta, diced
  • 3 egg yolks
  • 1 whole egg
  • 1 cup pecorino romano, grated
  • Black pepper, freshly ground
  • Salt

Instructions

  1. Cook pasta: Boil pasta in salted water. Reserve 1 cup pasta water.

  2. Render guanciale: Cook guanciale in a large pan until crispy. Leave fat in pan.

  3. Mix egg mixture: Whisk yolks, whole egg, pecorino, and lots of black pepper.

  4. Combine: Off heat, add drained pasta to the pan with guanciale. Toss. Add egg mixture. Toss continuously, adding pasta water gradually until creamy and glossy.

  5. Serve immediately: Top with more pecorino and pepper.

Notes

The pan must be off heat when you add the eggs, or you’ll get scrambled eggs. The residual heat from the pasta and pan is enough to create the sauce.