Spaghetti Carbonara Recipe
Pecorino cheese
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Ingredients
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Pasta & Sauce Base
Carbonara Mixture
Pancetta & Aromatics
Finishing
Method
Pasta & Sauce Base
- 1
Boil water
Fill a large pot with 4 liters of cold water and bring to a rolling boil. Add 1 tablespoon kosher salt once boiling.
- 2
Cook spaghetti
Add 400 g spaghetti and cook until just shy of al dente (1–2 minutes less than package instructions). Stir occasionally to prevent sticking. Reserve 1 cup of the starchy cooking water before draining.
Carbonara Mixture
- 3
Prepare egg-cheese mixture
In a medium bowl, whisk together 4 egg yolks and 1 whole egg until smooth. Add 1.5 cups finely grated Pecorino Romano and 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Whisk to form a thick, fairly stiff mixture. The cheese and eggs should be well combined; set aside.
Pancetta & Aromatics
- 4
Render pancetta (or guanciale)
In a large heavy skillet over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil. Add 150 g diced pancetta and cook, stirring occasionally, until fat is rendered and cubes are crisp at the edges, about 6–8 minutes. If using the optional smashed garlic clove, add it to the pan for the last 2 minutes to lightly infuse the fat, then remove and discard the garlic before proceeding.
Finishing
- 5
- 6
Emulsify sauce with eggs and cheese
Working quickly off the heat, add about one-third of the reserved hot pasta water to the egg-Pecorino mixture to temper it, whisking constantly. Then pour the tempered egg-cheese mixture over the pasta and toss vigorously (use tongs or two forks) to combine. Add additional reserved pasta water a few tablespoons at a time as needed to loosen the sauce and achieve a silky, glossy consistency that clings to the strands. The residual heat of the pasta and pan will cook the eggs gently without scrambling them.
- 7
Adjust and serve
If the sauce seems dry, add more reserved pasta water until desired creaminess is reached (up to the full reserved cup). Taste and season with additional freshly ground black pepper and a little extra grated Pecorino (about 1/4 cup) if desired. Serve immediately on warmed plates, dividing into 4 servings.