I am all about having fun in the kitchen. There is something quite freeing about melting a little butter in the skillet, tossing in some garlic, a splash of cream and creating something uniquely delicious, but if you want to make authentic carbonara, there are some things that we should discuss…
I want to start with the fact that carbonara only takes 15 minutes to bring together. Start to finish… 15 minutes… I’m totally serious. One of my favorite things about this incredibly delicious pasta dishes is the fact that anytime I am in a rush or have hungry friends stop by, I am only 15 minutes and 5 ingredients away from serving up a luxuriously silky pasta that everyone instantly loves.
The second thing I love is the whole 5 ingredients thing. Yes, carbonara only takes 5 ingredients, which is another wonderful thing about this Italian comfort food, but this is also where some non-negotiables come into play.
Let’s get started and I’ll explain…
When it comes to carbonara, the 5 ingredients needed are not suggestions. They are rules… non-negotiable rules that need to be respected when it comes to creating the authentic version of this dish.
True carbonara only contains pasta, guanciale, egg yolks, pecorino romano and black pepper. Nothing else. No olive oil, no cream, no butter and no garlic and as much as I adore all of those ingredients, they do not belong in carbonara and once you taste it, you will realize that it does not need anything but… pasta, guanciale, egg yolks, pecorino romano and black pepper.
Start by bringing a large pot of water to a boil for your pasta (don’t forget to salt your water!). Place a dry skillet over medium heat and add 4 ounces of diced guanciale.
While the water comes to a boil and the guanciale starts to sizzle, grab a large glass bowl and whisk 4 egg yolks, 3/4 cup of finely shredded pecorino romano and a big pinch of freshly cracked black pepper until it is thick and creamy.
Technically, you are pretty much done. As soon as the guanciale is crisp, take it off of the heat and let it relax until the pasta is cooked.
When the pasta is cooked, use a spider or slotted spoon to transfer the pasta directly from the water into the bowl with the egg yolk mixture. It is perfectly fine if some of the pasta water comes with, because if the sauce feels too tight once you get all of the pasta into the bowl, you can add a little bit of that pasta water into the bowl and use it to loosen things up a bit. Typically, the amount of water that accompanies the pasta during the transfer is enough, but do not discard the pasta water until you are finished bringing the carbonara together.
Toss the pasta in the sauce and then add the crisp guanciale and maybe a little extra pecorino romano and toss to combine…
I can’t remember how many times I have made carbonara, but every single time I do, I am amazed at how spectacularly it turns out after just 15 minutes in the kitchen and with only 5 ingredients involved.
The simple combination of richness from the egg yolks, saltiness from the pecorino romano, lusciousness from the guanciale and spice from the black pepper hits every note you need. It doesn’t need butter or cream or anything to be delicious. It is perfect as is.
Let’s talk about substitutions real quick…
True carbonara is made with the ingredients we are using today, but if you searched really hard and cannot find guanciale, you can use the same amount of diced pancetta or prosciutto instead. Pancetta is cured with only salt and pepper, so you will miss the layers of spices that guanciale brings, but in a bind, it will work. Prosciutto has less fat than guanciale, so your sauce will be less luscious, but it will still be tasty.
Pecorino romano can be found at most grocery stores and black pepper is typically in everyones pantry, so no substitutions required there.
If you have checked out other carbonara recipes and see that they call for whole eggs, in addition to many Italian chefs throughout the world imploring that we only use the yolks, I have definitely found a difference in the ease of bring this sauce together using only yolks when compared to using some or all whole eggs.
Egg whites tend to tighten the sauce, if you do not bring everything together with perfect timing and who wants that responsibility? Plus, you have to be much more careful adding hot pasta to egg whites than you do when adding it to yolks only. No one wants scrambled eggs in their pasta, so keep those egg whites for some meringue or tomorrows breakfast and use the yolks in your carbonara.
The next time you have just a couple of minutes, but want something fabulous, make this carbonara. You will be so glad that you did!
Mangiamo!
Carbonara
Ingredients
- 8 ounces of dried pasta
- 1 tablespoon salt (for the pasta water)
- 4 ounces of guanciale, diced
- 4 large egg yolks
- 3/4 cup of pecorino romano, finely shredded
- freshly cracked black pepper
- fresh parsley, finely chopped (garnish)
- pecorino romano, finely shredded (garnish)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add a tablespoon of salt and cook 8 ounces of pasta according the manufacturers instructions
- While the pasta is cooking, place a dry skillet over medium heat and brown 4 ounces of diced guanciale until slightly crisp and then set aside
- In a large glass bowl, whisk 4 large egg yolks with 3/4 cup of finely shredded pecorino romano and a big pinch of freshly cracked black pepper until thick and creamy
- Once the pasta is cooked, use a spider or slotted spoon to transfer it directly from the pasta water into the bowl with the egg yolk mixture
- Toss the pasta in the egg yolk sauce and add a splash of pasta cooking water if the sauce needs loosening
- Add the crisp guanciale and toss to combine
- Garnish with additional finely shredded pecorino romano and fresh parsley
