Carbonara (spaghetti Alla Chitarra) Recipe

Bring water to a boil

Pour 4 liters of water into a large pot and bring to a rolling boil. Add 40 g coarse salt once boiling (roughly 1% of the water weight) to season the pasta water.

Cook pasta

Add 400 g spaghetti alla chitarra to the boiling water and cook until al dente according to package timing (usually 8–10 minutes). Reserve 200 ml of the pasta cooking water before draining.

Prepare the egg-cheese mixture

While pasta cooks, combine 6 egg yolks and 1 whole egg in a large bowl. Add 140 g finely grated Pecorino Romano and 2 tsp freshly ground black pepper. Whisk briskly until smooth and slightly thickened into a creamy emulsion. The mixture should coat the back of a spoon.

Render the guanciale

Place a large skillet over medium heat. Add the 150 g guanciale (and 1 tsp olive oil only if pieces look lean). Cook gently, stirring occasionally, until the fat renders and the lardons are crisp at the edges, about 6–8 minutes. Keep the pan over low heat to avoid burning; you want golden crispness and liquid fat in the pan.

Incorporate Nduja

If making the spicy version, add 70 g Nduja to the skillet with the rendered guanciale off direct high heat (keep pan warm, not smoking). Break the Nduja apart with a wooden spoon so it melts into the pork fat, creating a spicy, oily sauce. Stir for 1–2 minutes until homogenous. If the mixture seems too thick, add 2–3 tbsp (30–45 ml) of reserved pasta water to loosen.

Combine pasta and fat

Add the drained hot pasta directly into the skillet with the guanciale (or guanciale+Nduja). Toss vigorously over low heat for 30–60 seconds to coat the strands in the flavored fat. Remove the skillet from direct heat to prevent scrambling the eggs in the next step.

Create the carbonara emulsion

Working quickly off the heat, pour the egg-cheese mixture over the hot pasta and toss or stir vigorously. Add reserved pasta water in small bursts (about 25–50 ml at a time) until the sauce loosens into a glossy, creamy emulsion that clings to the pasta. Use more water as needed — you should end up with a silky, not runny, sauce. Taste and adjust pepper; do not add much salt because Pecorino and guanciale are salty.

Plate and serve

Divide the pasta among warm plates. Finish with extra grated Pecorino Romano (about 30 g total between servings) and an extra grind of black pepper. Sprinkle 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley if using. Serve immediately.

Notes

For an authentic texture, avoid cream — the emulsion of egg, cheese, pasta water and fat creates the creamy sauce. If you prefer less heat, omit the Nduja and simply use the guanciale version (original). If eggs are a safety concern, use pasteurized eggs. Adjust reserved pasta water to achieve desired creaminess.