Spaghetti alla carbonara: recipe and tips for an Italian classic
Roma caput Mundi. Or at least this was happening in ancient times, but as for today, we can agree that, in terms of food, Rome is still a real capital of the world.
The list of dishes typical of the area and that have become flags of the Italian cuisine around the world is truly endless. The most famous? Yep, that’s it: Spaghetti alla Carbonara, a classic that never stops to amaze both DOC Italians and not.
A stroll through Rome will reveal that every restaurant in the city propose Spaghetti alla Carbonara in their menu and that’s also the case of more or less all the Italian restaurants around the world. But, be aware: eating the classic Carbonara is not as easy as it seems. Unfortunately, it’s pretty common to run into “fake” versions of this Roman classic (even in Rome), especially out of Italy, where chefs enrich the recipe with ingredients that are not listed in the original one. Some examples? Onion, garlic, leeks, milk, cream, are just some of a long list of extras that really shouldn’t appear in an authentic Carbonara. That said, it’s a great dish to try out even at home or to impress friends and family: in this case, it’s important to follow the few tips and tricks I’m going to share, in order to obtain a creamy and delicious Carbonara, just like the one you would taste in an Osteria in Rome.
The Real and Authentic Recipe of Spaghetti Alla Carbonara
Ingredients
400g Spaghetti Gragnano
8 yolk
8 tablespoon grated Pecorino DOP
160g Guanciale (or smoked Pancetta, but no bacon pls)
Method
Cut the Guanciale or Pancetta in strips and cook in a well-heated pan without oil or butter, until it’s lightly crispy. Gather the yolks in a bowl with 8 tablespoons of freshly grated Pecorino and black pepper. Whisk vigorously until the Pecorino is well absorbed and the texture is creamy. Set aside. In lightly salted boiling water cook the Spaghetti “al dente”; drain well and put them in the pan with the Guanciale. Saute quickly. Turn off the heat and take the pan aside: pour the yolks cream and stir quickly until the cream is well distributed. Serve immediately with some extra black pepper.
TIP ONE: Use eggs from the fridge. This will help to prevent the yolks to “cook” too much once combined with the spaghetti. Do not add any extras in the yolks. Oil, milk, cream, butter are really not necessary.
TIP TWO: Cook the Spaghetti in a lightly salted boiling water and don’t add extra salt in the yolks cream. Both the Guanciale and the Pecorino will give the right salinity.
TIP THREE: Pour the yolks with the pan away from the heat. This is extremely important to prevent the yolks to coagulate but to remain creamy.
TIP FOUR: Balance each portion with the right amount of Guanciale. Just think that each forkful should have at least a strip of Guanciale.
Last but not least, accompany your Spaghetti alla Carbonara with a glass of Greco di Tufo wine.
Enjoy!