Carbonara Mafaldine Vm Recipe

Cook the mafaldine

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add 1 tablespoon salt per 4 liters (approx. 1 gallon) of water. Add the mafaldine and cook until just shy of al dente — follow package timing but reduce by about 1 minute for fresh pasta, 2 minutes for dried. Reserve 1.5 to 2 cups (360–480 ml) of the starchy pasta cooking water before draining.

Finish and coat

Return drained mafaldine to the warm empty pot or a large skillet over low heat. Immediately pour the warm carbonara sauce mixture (prepared below) into the pasta and toss vigorously with tongs or two forks. Add small amounts of reserved pasta water (a few tablespoons at a time) to loosen and create a glossy, silky sauce that clings to the mafaldine. Continue tossing until sauce is velvety and coats the pasta, about 1–2 minutes.

Season and drizzle truffle

Taste for salt and seasoning. Add the truffle oil (start with 1 teaspoon) and toss gently to distribute. Grind a generous amount of black pepper over the pasta. Transfer to warmed plates or a serving bowl and sprinkle extra grated Parmigiano-Reggiano on top. If desired, finish with a light drizzle (an additional 1/4 tsp) of truffle oil for aroma — do not overdo, it should be a perfume.

Prepare the egg–cheese emulsion

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and whole egg until smooth. Whisk in the grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and Pecorino Romano until combined into a thick paste. Add the 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt and roughly 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Set the mixture aside. For temperature safety and creaminess, temper the eggs: when pasta cooking water is available, whisk 2–3 tablespoons of hot reserved pasta water into the egg mixture to warm it slightly before combining with the hot pasta.

Render the guanciale

While the pasta water is heating, place a large skillet over medium heat and add the diced guanciale. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the fat renders and the meat is crisp and golden, about 6–8 minutes. If the pan becomes very dry or the guanciale sticks early, add 1 tablespoon unsalted butter to help with browning and flavor. If using the optional smashed garlic clove, add it to the pan with the guanciale for the last 2 minutes to perfume the fat, then remove and discard the garlic before finishing.

Carryover and combine

When guanciale is crisp, remove the skillet from the heat and let it cool slightly (30–60 seconds) so it is hot but not aggressively boiling. Spoon the rendered fat and most of the crispy guanciale pieces into the pot or pan where you will finish the pasta (reserve a small handful of crisp pieces for garnish). Do not leave excessive hot fat on high heat when adding the egg mixture — you want residual heat to cook the eggs gently without scrambling.