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 32.0g, carbohydrate 66.0g, fat 31.0 g, saturated fat 16.0g, fibre 3.0g, salt 2.02 g

Recipe from Good Food magazine, November 2002.

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Latest comments and suggestions

Results 61-80

  • Binder photo Pushkin

    30 July 2011

    Pushkin rated and commented on this recipe

    4 stars

    It was amazing but I felt there was too much of an eggy flavour which I don't feel when I eat carbonara in a restaurant.

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  • Binder photo carolinerunner

    08 August 2011

    carolinerunner rated and commented on this recipe

    4 stars

    I was keen to try a recipe without cream as those with cream often dry out. The idea of keeping some pasta cooking water to ensure a creamy finish seemed to work. I used mainly egg yolks as i wanted some whites for a meringue, and used one more than the recipe said, which seemed to work well. This will be my new carbonara recipe, tho I will still be looking to tweak and improve!

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  • Binder photo Diane

    12 August 2011

    Diane commented on this recipe

    I have been using this recipe for a few years now. I think it is the best Carbonara that I have ever eaten. I think the secret to this recipe is the lack of cream. Carbonara does not need a heavy cream to make it taste good. This recipe ticks all the boxes for me and my family and friends.

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  • Binder photo Diane

    12 August 2011

    Diane rated this recipe

    5 stars

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  • Binder photo Poppy

    11 September 2011

    Poppy rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    First time I have made this particular recipe - I gave up my portion for the sake of the 3 hungry men in my household they almost licked the pasta dishes clean!!! Great recipe, thank you... :) p.s I did add a little single cream in with the eggs and lots of pepper...

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  • Binder photo BigAl

    08 November 2011

    BigAl rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Perfect and simple, don't add cream it doesn't need it.

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  • Binder photo rubytwo

    20 November 2011

    rubytwo rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    This is such a simple recipe, and so tasty that all the family loved it!

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  • Binder photo Rachmo

    05 December 2011

    Rachmo commented on this recipe

    Excellent recipe!! I used thick cut bacon as I had no pancetta (cut all the fat off) and garlic purée as I had no fresh (needed to do a food shop!) and it turned out brilliantly! I am no accomplished cook so I was surprised. I let the pasta and bacon cool slightly before adding the egg mixture, I think that avoids the scrambled scenario

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  • Binder photo Elmo

    08 January 2012

    Elmo rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Love this dish, made it a couple of times and its just so tasty. We are ultimate garlic lovers so we don't take the cloves out, I chop them up as they are cooking and leave them in the pan instead.

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  • Binder photo Enigma

    26 January 2012

    Enigma rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    This dish is so easy to prepare. I took the advice of other members and let the pasta slightly cool before adding the eggs therefore, no disasters! I added extra garlic though with some parsley. The next time I make this, I wont add as much butter. Give it a try!

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  • Binder photo freefallsam

    28 January 2012

    freefallsam commented on this recipe

    I have tried a few different carbonara recipes and always been disappointed but this is called the ultimate carbonara and this is exactly what it is. it is the nicest i have tasted. excellent recipe thank you

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  • Binder photo yr11foodstudent

    26 February 2012

    yr11foodstudent commented on this recipe

    love this dish! used if for my food gcse exam and have cooked it quite a few times since. really easy too cook and loved by everyone! x

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  • Binder photo Rob

    06 May 2012

    Rob commented on this recipe

    Oh yes! Classic recipe, very easy and very tasty. We actually crushed the garlic and left it in just because we love garlic :)

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  • Binder photo Jessmhand

    09 May 2012

    Jessmhand rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    This is by far the best carbonara I have ever tried! I remember trying to make carbonara back at uni and ending up with a scrambled mess. This is far from that! I did add about a tablespoon of cream to the eggs, but that's because I like a bit of richness. I think this is a fail safe recipe!

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  • Binder photo Robert

    25 May 2012

    Robert rated and commented on this recipe

    4 stars

    Easy enough to make, using minimal ingredients. I'm not a fan of creamy sauces like this, but it turned out nicely.

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  • Binder photo auraobie

    31 May 2012

    auraobie rated and commented on this recipe

    4 stars

    Great recipe, very easy to make and very tasty. But extremely rich and cheesy, you don't need a large portion to feel extremely satisfied.

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  • Binder photo lulu295

    31 August 2012

    lulu295 rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Best carbonara ever!

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  • Binder photo Joanne

    06 September 2012

    Joanne rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    AMAZING! And so quick too...always have eggs in and pasta and I used bacon. Also added some lazy garlic and an onion, would be nice with a few peas too to up the veg content! My fussy hubby and 22 month old loved it too. A firm favourite from now on!

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  • Binder photo vsmphipps

    28 October 2012

    vsmphipps rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    easy and tastes so good.

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  • Binder photo grayfin

    04 November 2012

    grayfin rated this recipe

    5 stars

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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 32.0g, carbohydrate 66.0g, fat 31.0 g, saturated fat 16.0g, fibre 3.0g, salt 2.02 g

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