Ultimate carbonara

Ultimate carbonara

Always wondered how they make real spaghetti alla carbonara in Italy? Here you are...

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4
 stars 5 ratings

Recipe by sigrid

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Difficulty and servings

Easy

Serves 2

Preparation and cooking times

Method

  1. Put to boil a large pan filled with water, add 1tsp coarse salt. When the water is boiling, add the pasta, look at the clock and see on the box how long the pasta should cook.
  2. Cut the guanciale or the bacon in thin stripes or chop it finely. Heat a non-stick pan, add the guanciale (if you're using bacon ad some drops of olive oil), and let cook untill crispy. Let the stripes drain on a few layers of paper and set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, beat the eggyolks with a splash of warm water (just take it from the pan where the pasta is boiling) and the cheese untill you get a very creamy sauce (not too thick and non too liquid).
  4. Drain the pasta one minute before you should (keep some of the cooking water, you never know), and poor it into the bowl with the eggyolk cream. Mix well, the pasta should be veiled with the creamy sauce (add some cooking water if the sauce feels too dense). At the end add the crispy bacon, keeping some apart to top the dishes, mix again.
  5. Serve, topping with estra crispy pancetta and a generous amount of grounded pepper.
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Latest comments and suggestions

Results 1-20

  • 07 February 2008

    rebecca commented on this recipe

    looks great will try this in the next few days

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  • Binder photo Jan

    07 February 2008

    Jan commented on this recipe

    Must give this a try - Carbonara is my husband's very, very favourite - Jan

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  • Binder photo sue

    09 February 2008

    sue commented on this recipe

    very very nice added a tbs cream

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  • 10 February 2008

    Annie commented on this recipe

    Delicious! I added splash of cream and used smoked bacon

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  • 10 February 2008

    bl4nk rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    absolutely no cream! though not the orthodox way ;), a couple of mashed garlic cloves cooked with the gunciale are also a must in a few parts of Italy.

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  • 10 February 2008

    The Allison Family commented on this recipe

    sounds great must give this a try

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  • 12 February 2008

    George Stocks commented on this recipe

    This recipe looks good - I might try it tonight. BTW there are a few spelling mistakes in there.

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  • 13 February 2008

    shaney commented on this recipe

    Would love to try but i'm a vegaterian, so might add veggi bacon instead.Will try to-night.....

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  • 13 February 2008

    Peikko commented on this recipe

    This recipe is almost the same as the one my mother learned from a chef at a hotel in Rome back in the late 60's and has been cooking for the family since. It still is my favorite spaghetti dish to make for two, be it that I only use parmesan cheese and a single (cold) egg. I was planning to do my recipe tomorrow, but will do it according to yours :-)

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  • 13 February 2008

    Adri commented on this recipe

    Can you make it without eggs? My husband is allergic.

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  • 14 February 2008

    ellenbounds rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    my daughters love pasta dishes so i think i will try this for them at the weekend

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  • 14 February 2008

    Tighmara rated and commented on this recipe

    4 stars

    This is one of my favourite dishes, I used to add cream but now know this is a 'No - No' for a truly authentic dish. My son is vegetarian so I substitute the bacon with mushrooms, dried are best for a fuller flavour. If you are on a diet or allergic to eggs try creme freche instead. The dish is great topped with fresh basil too.

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  • 26 February 2008

    ziggy commented on this recipe

    very nice

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  • 09 April 2008

    Tony commented on this recipe

    nice nosh, tanks 4 those who are that interested in splelin surgest you find an english blog.

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  • 09 April 2008

    ninas food commented on this recipe

    very good indeed, and for george stocks, when you speak italian as well as sigrid speaks english ,,,,after all it is not her first language,,nor is it mine

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  • 10 April 2008

    LizMacau88 commented on this recipe

    Sounds lovely! For those veggies and allergics -- I cannot for one minute understand why you would want to "adapt" a carbonara -- carbonara is pasta with eggs and bacon. Simple as that. If you want veggie pasta dishes there must be thousands of variations out there.

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  • 10 April 2008

    Melanie commented on this recipe

    Agree with comment about adapting the Carbonara concept - just find another recipe! This version sounds good and will try this way next time I cook Carbonara. Also, surely there are numerous authentic Italian ways for doing Carbonara - all the regions in Italy seem to have their own way of doing everything, not just recipes, so those on high horses - time to put them out to graze.

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  • 11 April 2008

    eddie commented on this recipe

    Very nice ,made it last night . i left out the bacon and used chorizo cut into very small pieces. Next time will add more water to loosen it.

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  • 12 April 2008

    Gemma Russell rated and commented on this recipe

    3 stars

    Didnt think this was the ultimate Carbonara, nice but i think it needed a bit more flavour. Next time i would use some cream.

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  • 04 May 2008

    murph commented on this recipe

    This recipe will have a few restaurants trying it as it is very tasty. and filling.

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Difficulty and servings

Easy

Serves 2

Preparation and cooking times

Ingredients

  • 150g spaghetti
  • 2 eggyolks
  • 50g guanciale (or bacon, not the smoked one)
  • 2tbsp grated pecorino cheese
  • 1tbsp grated parmesan cheese
  • freshly grounded black pepper
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