Ultimate spaghetti carbonara

Ultimate spaghetti carbonara

Discover how to make the perfect Spaghetti carbonara - with a little help from Gennaro Contaldo

Difficulty and servings

Easy

Serves 4

Preparation and cooking times

Preparation time

Prep 15 - 20 mins

Cook time

Cook 15 mins

Method

  1. Put a large saucepan of water on to boil. Finely chop the pancetta, having first removed any rind. Finely grate both cheeses and mix them together. Beat the eggs in a medium bowl, season with a little freshly grated black pepper and set everything aside.
  2. Add 1 tsp salt to the boiling water, add the spaghetti and when the water comes back to the boil, cook at a constant simmer, covered, for 10 minutes or until al dente (just cooked).
  3. Squash the garlic with the blade of a knife, just to bruise it. While the spaghetti is cooking, fry the pancetta with the garlic. Drop the butter into a large wide frying pan or wok and, as soon as the butter has melted, tip in the pancetta and garlic. Leave these to cook on a medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring often, until the pancetta is golden and crisp. The garlic has now imparted its flavour, so take it out with a slotted spoon and discard.
  4. Keep the heat under the pancetta on low.When the pasta is ready lift it from the water with a pasta fork or tongs and put it in the frying pan with the pancetta (see left). Don't worry if a little water drops in the pan as well (you want this to happen) and don't throw the rest of the pasta water away yet.
  5. Mix most of the cheese in with the eggs, keeping a small handful back for sprinkling over later. Take the pan of spaghetti and pancetta off the heat. Now quickly pour in the eggs and cheese and, using the tongs or a long fork, lift up the spaghetti so it mixes easily with the egg mixture, which thickens but doesn't scramble, and everything is coated. Add extra pasta cooking water to keep it saucy (several tablespoons should do it). You don't want it wet, just moist. Season with a little salt, if needed.
  6. Use a long-pronged fork to twist the pasta on to the serving plate or bowl. Serve immediately with a little sprinkling of the remaining cheese and a grating of black pepper. If the dish does get a little dry before serving, splash in some more hot pasta water and the glossy sauciness will be revived.
Try

Like this?

Add some veg and make Courgette carbonara.

Per serving

655 kcalories, protein 32g, carbohydrate 66g, fat 31 g, saturated fat 16g, fibre 3g, salt 2.02 g

Recipe from Good Food magazine, November 2002.

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Latest comments and suggestions

Results 1-20

  • Binder photo eloise

    09 November 2007

    eloise rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Perfect every time-a great midweek supper

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  • Binder photo Alan

    05 December 2007

    Alan commented on this recipe

    This is a superb recipe and a great quick fix, but its taken me years to master and I now do it slightly differently to ensure good results. The only way I can get stop the egg scrambling is by leaving the egg till the very last minute. I also never mix it in the frying pan as I find it almost always scrambles, I've had countless disasters! I fry the pancetta (or bacon) add garlic & cream, simmer, add the Parmesan until melted and keep on a low heat while the pasta cooks. I sometimes add mixed herbs and fry the bacon in a small amount of white wine, an idea which I stole from a restaurant. This gives me a very rich sauce. Drain the pasta, Mix, (off the heat; in the pasta pan) then finally add the egg, stir quickly and serve. I like the tip about using the pasta water to glaze. I've found that useful in many recipes. Great recipe though.

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  • Binder photo derek

    27 January 2008

    derek rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    I just love the recipe,all my friends always ask me to make it! as it is so tasty!

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  • Binder photo Heva

    16 February 2008

    Heva rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    I made this as a dinner for my husband and I and our three children - there was loads. Also I added a tbsp of mascarpone cheese.

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  • Binder photo ilze

    25 March 2008

    ilze rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Quick and tasty. Children's favourite.

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  • Binder photo red book

    26 March 2008

    red book commented on this recipe

    I can't stand carbonara, but I must say I do like this one. It isn't heavy or cloying or smothered in cream. My daughter bought her friend home who doesn't like pasta and who now asks for this meal every time she's here so my husband is made up because its his favourite. Happiness all round.

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  • Binder photo kate

    04 April 2008

    kate rated and commented on this recipe

    3 stars

    Had this yesterday but was disappointed with the lack of flavour. I will go back to frying the pancetta in garlic infused olive oil and white wine. I find it does give it a bit more of a taste.

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  • Binder photo Chef Santiago

    02 July 2008

    Chef Santiago rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    i made this once and creaded a scrambled eggs and bacon spagetti it was dreadful, but i followed these directions and voila! the best pasta dish ive had thus far thank you Ms.Nilsen!!!!

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  • Binder photo Szkrabeka

    08 August 2008

    Szkrabeka rated and commented on this recipe

    2 stars

    wasn't quite what I expected

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  • Binder photo Jayzee

    08 August 2008

    Jayzee rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Quick quick quick and gorgeous!

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  • Binder photo Dani

    30 August 2008

    Dani commented on this recipe

    Made it and it was loved by all, quick and easy Perfect!!

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  • Binder photo karen taylor

    07 September 2008

    karen taylor commented on this recipe

    I liked this alot. Easy to make, tasted amazing. I actually added a little 'snifter' of double cream - not too much, but i found that it created a nice silky sauce and adding a few tablespoons of the pasta cooking water kept it light - not too heavy. A triumph though! Great recipe!

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  • Binder photo Hope

    11 September 2008

    Hope commented on this recipe

    I made this for my dad and brother last night and they absolutely adored it!! I've been tyring to get them both to eat heathily and since this recipe didn't have cream in it I thought I'd give it a go. the egg yolks really made a wonderful sauce and I used low-fat cheese. Didn't have any pancetta in the house however, so I cut a piece of gammon steak into very thin strips and added a teeny bit of chorizo. I left out the butter and cheekily added a chopped large onion to gt some vege down them as well and it worked a treat! Will definitely be making it again :D

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  • Binder photo Hope

    11 September 2008

    Hope rated this recipe

    5 stars

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  • Binder photo M E Jacobs-Paton

    08 January 2009

    M E Jacobs-Paton commented on this recipe

    This was the most delicous carbonara I have ever made. My Italian studednt said it was better than the ones he has eaten in Italy!!

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  • Binder photo Dani

    16 February 2009

    Dani commented on this recipe

    Lovely, the whole family love it!!! Make it quite often!!

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  • Binder photo Lucy

    31 March 2009

    Lucy rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    perfect everytime. Possily the easiest dish ever. Only additions - two shallots and a small handful mushrooms or/and peas

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  • Binder photo Ben

    02 April 2009

    Ben rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Very nice and essentially, very quick. I let the pasta cool down a bit before adding the egg mixture and used last nights gammon steak instead of pancetta. A very simple dish that doesn't disappoint

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  • Binder photo Nat

    01 May 2009

    Nat rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Excellent dish - very simple and very tasty. I used white wine to cook the pancetta in and it worked a treat.

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  • Binder photo yumyum

    03 May 2009

    yumyum rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Oh, pure heaven! There is no real substitute for proper carbonara sauce, so much richer and more flavoursome than anything with cream. When I don't have any pecorino on hand I simply double the parmesan.

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Difficulty and servings

Easy

Serves 4

Preparation and cooking times

Preparation time

Prep 15 - 20 mins

Cook time

Cook 15 mins

Light yet creamy

Ingredients

  • 100g pancetta
  • 50g pecorino cheese
  • 50g Parmesan
  • 3 large eggs
  • 350g spaghetti (De Cecco is very good)
  • 2 plump garlic cloves , peeled and left whole
  • 50g unsalted butter
  • Maldon salt and freshly grated black pepper
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Per serving

655 kcalories, protein 32g, carbohydrate 66g, fat 31 g, saturated fat 16g, fibre 3g, salt 2.02 g

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