About the Recipe
The absolute pinnacle of Roman food in my humble opinion. A delicious creamy indulgent bomb of a dish that comes together in a few short minutes during which you will be eager to try some of this glorious dish.
Ingredients
2 eggs or 1 egg and 2 egg yolks
30g Parmigiano Reggiano, grated
30g Pecorino Romano (typical Roman goats cheese which you can find in most delis and some large supermarkets), grated
200g Guanicale - or slightly less depending on how much you like guanciale (a type of cured pork cheek which you can find in delis, most supermarkets are unlikely to have this)
Considerable amount of black pepper
Pinch of salt
200g Spaghetti
Preparation
Prepare guanciale: shave the hardened/cured skin on the outside of the guanciale and cut into matchsticks.
- Tip: you can use pancetta, although the taste is significantly different so it is worth trying to use all the required ingredients. If done with only Parmigiano the dish can be quite one dimensional so better to ensure you have the right cheeses.
Cook the guanciale: fry the guanciale on medium-high heat until crunchy.
Boil the pasta: boil the pasta in salted, boiling water until just before al dente as the final cooking will be done with the mixture.
Carbonara mixture: mix together the eggs, grated cheese and pepper.
Mix the ingredients: pour some of the pasta water to temper the eggs and the rendered fat from the guanciale into the mixture. Return to the pan used to cook the guanciale with the pasta to finish off the dish on low heat mixing constantly to ensure thorough emulsification.