Carbonara sauce: Recipe, accompaniments and aromatic herbs
Bacon Sauce, Tartar Sauce, Pineapple Salsa, Salsa Rosa, Corn Salsa
What's the secret of carbonara sauce? This smooth, creamy sauce, with its smoked bacon, onions and distinctive flavor, makes your mouth water at the mere mention of it.
Learn about what is the traditional carbonara sauce and the different steps to make it. You will discover the rules of the art and some ideas to give it your personal touch and make it original.
Mixed with all kinds of pasta, this sauce is undoubtedly the favorite of gourmets. But how do you make a good carbonara sauce yourself? How do you treat the whole family to a good plate of spaghetti? What other accompaniments can you use to make it as good as in a restaurant?
- Discover carbonara sauce
- The essential ingredients for your carbonara sauce
- The secret of a good recipe and tips for successful sauce making
- Accompaniments and herbs for a tastier sauce
- What to do with a carbonara sauce?
- In summary, everything you need to know to prepare a successful carbonara sauce
- Traditional Carbonara Sauce Recipe
- Traditional Carbonara Sauce Recipe
- How to accompany carbonara sauce?
- Origins of the traditional carbonara sauce
Discover carbonara sauce
A disputed origin that maintains its mystery and popularity
We don't really know who invented pasta carbonara, or even when it was created. Specialists, gourmets and lovers of good sauces argue about it:
Was it the arrival of U.S. troops and the need to create hearty dishes with ingredients available during wartime?
Was it a famous 19th century Italian chef who, with a creative and daring recipe, was the forerunner of carbonara sauce?
Or was it Italian charcoal makers who, over the years, came up with recipes to satisfy the palate spoiled by their activities?
Thus, a consensus was reached to make "pasta à la charbonnière". This is the literal translation of pasta a la carbonara, a pasta recipe of Roman origin. A recipe that has gained popularity throughout the Italian boot, and far beyond!
It gives you a Arepa con Queso?
Carbonara, an easy recipe with many facets
When talking about carbonara, it is important to keep in mind that this Italian recipe has many variations. However, the basic ingredients are always present, whatever the recipe or region. You need eggs (or at least egg yolks), bacon, pecorino cheese and ground pepper.
Note that the original Italian recipe does not include fresh cream. Apparently, this ingredient was added little by little, surely mixing culinary traditions as Europe and the U.S. intertwined. It is not uncommon to use a whole egg and not just the yolk, for ease of preparation.
As for pasta, carbonara sauce usually accompanies long thin pasta, such as spaghetti. The spaghetti à la carbonara dish is typical of Italy along with pizza, but this tradition is disappearing. In fact, it is no longer rare to find penne à la carbonara. In fact, this sauce can be served with any type of pasta, without exception.
The essential ingredients for your carbonara sauce
Traditional and popular ingredients for Carbonara
For example, to prepare a classic carbonara sauce, the following ingredients are needed
- Bacon
- butter
- eggs
- freshly ground pepper
To this you can add whipped cream or other types of fresh cream. Beware, purists don't like to use cream to make carbonara, but it is much smoother with it!
You can also customize your sauce by adding elements you like, such as aromatic plants (shallots, onion, parsley, thyme, rosemary or other aromatic herbs from the Mediterranean basin). The fresh cream can be replaced by mascarpone, according to your preferences. Of course, it is not a matter of disguising the recipe and making a sauce that has nothing to do with carbonara. These additional elements should be used sparingly.
Do not forget to cook the pasta.
Finally, do not forget the main course, pasta, fresh pasta if possible. You can use spaghetti (preferably), but also tagliatelle or even penne, according to your taste. The main thing is that the carbonara sauce accompanies the typical Italian dish. You can also use other ingredients, such as bread sticks or rusks, to enhance your dish.
That said, let's move on to the real recipe that you will prepare yourself to impress your family with your culinary prowess.
The secret of a good recipe and tips for successful sauce making
The right questions to ask before preparation and cooking
First of all, before you throw yourself body and soul into preparing the carbonara sauce recipe, you should ask yourself who you are making this recipe for. How many people are going to eat it?
Let's assume this recipe is for 6 people. You know the ingredients, now let's prepare the sauce!
Elaboration of the carbonara sauce for pasta and preparation of the dish
To make the sauce, proceed as follows:
- First, cook the pasta in a large pot of salted water. Don't forget to stir with a long wooden spoon so that the pasta doesn't clump together. To enjoy the carbonara sauce, make sure the pasta is cooked "al dente".
- At the same time, start preparing the carbonara by stirring 300 grams of lardons in a frying pan over medium heat, without adding fat. Then, once ready, drain them using absorbent paper if possible.
- Melt the butter (about 30 grams) in a saucepan, add the crème fraiche (about 40 cl) and the prepared lardons. Cook over very low heat, listening for the sauce to crackle without boiling, and add salt if desired.
- Before the pasta is ready, take three egg yolks and 150 grams of grated Parmesan cheese and mix well in a bowl. Once mixed, pour the mixture into the saucepan of cream and lardons, stirring gently, always over very low heat. The carbonara sauce is almost ready! The cooking time should not exceed 10 minutes.
- Once the pasta is cooked to your liking, drain it quickly and pour it into a large bowl. Now you can pour the sauce over the pasta, adding pepper and other seasonings if necessary. Mix everything together and serve the finished dish immediately.
Note that you can substitute the Parmesan for Pecorino Romano, a traditional Italian cheese. Pecorino is made from sheep's milk, which makes the carbonara sauce even creamier and smoother.
Do not hesitate to add the salt of your choice and the seasonings you like the most. To make your pasta carbonara, let it cook for no more than 10 minutes. This recipe is within the reach of any Sunday cook. No need to worry about any difficulties, except for the fact that you must use the correct amount of ingredients as instructed.
Accompaniments and herbs for a tastier sauce
What herbs can be combined with carbonara sauce?
This is where your creativity comes into play. When the sauce is ready, before mixing it with the pasta, you can use different herbs to enhance the flavor. This will also give it an extra flavor that may remind you of different places like the Mediterranean.
Among the main aromatic herbs, here you are spoiled for choice:
- You can use garlic, onion and fresh herbs, for example, to add a little spice to your sauce and make it taste even better. Gently stir in the garlic for maximum flavor.
- In addition, the dill will add a delicious flavor to the pasta and sauce and give a little extra acidity to the whole, without altering the flavor of the carbonara.
- Thyme can also be perfect for a southern-style seasoning.
- You can also add basil and other similar herbs to give your sauce a little extra flavor and aroma.
It is up to you to use your imagination, many herbs can be used to make your carbonara sauce unique and personalized.
What to do with a carbonara sauce?
Many specialties can be served with carbonara sauce. Zucchini goes very well with it. You can make a mixture of pasta and zucchini, drizzled with the carbonara sauce. If you remove the bacon from the recipe, you can even make a vegan dish with your carbonara sauce, using different vegetables as the main dish! Sweet potatoes, leeks, carrots, peppers, eggplants: you will be spoilt for choice!
If you are a meat lover, carbonara goes very well with sausage, pork, duck breast or lamb.
In summary, everything you need to know to prepare a successful carbonara sauce
As you can see, you don't need to be an expert in the kitchen to prepare a good carbonara sauce. Egg yolks, butter, bacon, cream (for the non-purists) and a few aromatic herbs, and that's it!
It takes 10 minutes of cooking and preparation to make a creamy and aromatic sauce to accompany the pasta. This dish is equally appreciated by children and adults.
Traditional Carbonara Sauce Recipe
Would you like to prepare a traditional carbonara sauce with old-fashioned ingredients?
We propose you to discover the secrets of the authentic traditional recipe that comes from the depths of Italy. Behind the so-called "pasta a la charbonnière" hide some mysteries that we propose to clear up. Without further ado, discover how to make your own carbonara sauce to delight your guests.
Traditional Carbonara Sauce Recipe
Equipment
- 1 A large pot
- 1 A frying pan
- 1 A bowl
- 1 A salad bowl
- 1 A drainer
- 1 One ladle
Ingredients
- 1/2 kg Long pasta, such as fresh noodles or spaghetti. You can always resort to fresh penne pasta if you feel like it.
- 4 unit Fresh eggs
- 150 gr Parmesan or Pecorino Romano. You can choose the latter if you prefer grated cheese with an intense and slightly spicy flavor.
- 1 tbsp Olive oil
- 1 tbsp A little butter
- 1 pinch Salt
- 1 pinch Ground black pepper
- 200 gr Dried pork cheek such as guanciale. If you cannot find them, use salted bacon.
Instructions
Sauce preparation
- First, use a bowl and crack the 4 eggs into it. You can use just the yolks for flavor, mixing them with a whole egg if desired. Next, add the grated Parmesan (or Pecorino Romano, if you prefer). Add a few pinches of salt and sprinkle with ground black pepper. Now you can start mixing it all together in the bowl until it is integrated. Set the bowl aside.
- Next, cut the dried pork cheeks or salted bacon into thin slices. Take a frying pan and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add a little butter to make the sauce even creamier and start to simmer.
- Then start putting the meat strips in the pan when it is at the right temperature, and always cook everything gently, so as not to burn the meat.
- Before moving on to the pasta, you should know that in France smoked bacon or lardons and fresh cream are often used to make the sauce. These two ingredients are not part of the official pasta carbonara recipes, but have been added over time, probably by cooks with a sweet tooth.
Pasta cooking and final presentation
- For the pasta, use a saucepan, pour water in it and lightly salt it, then put it on the fire. Wait for the water to boil and pour in the pasta (tagliatelle, spaghetti and even penne if you prefer).
- Wait until the pasta is "al dente" in the pot of water. Drain the pasta and collect some of the cooking water. Pour the pasta into the pan with the thin slices of meat and add some of the cooking water. Mix everything together and let it cook a little longer until all the water has evaporated. Turn off the heat and let's go for the final touch!
- In the still hot pan, pour the bowl containing the egg mixture and Parmesan (or Pecorino Romano). Mix everything gently with a large spoon.
- Once the mixture is ready, sprinkle with Parmesan or pecorino cheese and add a little ground black pepper.
- You have just created your own pasta carbonara dish.
Notes
Going one step further by adding your personal touch
Now that you know how to prepare your own traditional carbonara sauce, let's move on to the personal touch and other varieties of carbonara.The small details that make the difference
The carbonara sauce recipe is one of those gourmet recipes that can be customized to taste. Although it is a real sin for Italian chefs, next time you can use fresh cream to give your sauce an even smoother and creamier touch. In all gourmet recipes there is a touch of customization and carbonara is no exception. You can use onions in the sauce, for example, or use different herbs, such as parsley or thyme, to add a southern aroma. You can also add an original seasoning to play with tastes and flavors - anything goes!Carbonara sauce to accompany the vegetables
Carbonara can also be used with pan-fried vegetables, such as zucchini. There are a thousand and one ways to make carbonara sauce. There are many carbonara recipes and it is not uncommon to find different forms depending on the country you visit. Also, let's not forget that there is a vegan carbonara sauce for those who do not appreciate animal matter. With different seasonings and herbs, it is possible to get close to the taste of the authentic sauce. Now that you know how to make an authentic carbonara sauce, we wish you a good time and hope that our explanation was enough to make your pasta dish a success.How to accompany carbonara sauce?
Are you a fan of carbonara sauce? This Italian sauce is very popular in Spain and the United States. Sometimes it is difficult to know what to accompany it with or make it original. Did you know that this sauce can be accompanied with vegetables? You are probably wondering which ones and how to prepare them. You are about to discover several recipes and tricks to make your own original dishes with your sauce.
Leeks carbonara: easy recipe
Leeks: brief history
Originally from the Near East, leeks soon became a key vegetable for the Greeks, Romans and Egyptians.
The Hebrews appreciated it for its refreshing properties. The Greeks and Romans considered it both a vegetable and a true remedy.
Leeks are a winter vegetable, rich in provitamin A, vitamin C and E, antioxidants and fiber. It is known as "the poor man's asparagus". It is a vegetable with dark green or yellowish green leaves. Its leaves are also more or less wide. In the second year of cultivation, the leek produces greenish-white flowers that form an umbel at the top.
Preparation of the leek sauce
- First, clean the leeks well.
- Then cut them into thin strips and steam them for about 10 minutes.
- In a separate pan, fry the bacon rind previously cut with paprika.
- Add to the mixture a crushed garlic clove, a little cream and salt.
- In a clean and grease-free frying pan, fry the finely chopped bacon.
- Once these 3 steps are done, add the cooked leeks to the cream and mix everything together.
- Finally, put the mixture back on the heat to warm up, add pepper to taste after having sprinkled it with the bacon.
- And that's it, the leeks in carbonara sauce are ready to eat!
Zucchini carbonara recipe
Here we will learn how to prepare zucchini noodles.
What is there to know about zucchini?
For the record, did you know that zucchini originated in Central America? Yes, it was later that they spread to Mexico. Zucchini are the best allies for weight loss. They contain fewer calories and less fat. They are enriched with vitamin C and antioxidants.
How to make zucchini carbonara sauce
- Using a vegetable peeler, cut the zucchini into noodles after carefully cleaning them.
- Be careful not to cut out the seeds or the center of the zucchini.
- Then put them on the stove to steam or cook them in the microwave. Do not make a bunch of zucchini to cook in the microwave, as they may not cook evenly.
- So spread them out evenly, add a tablespoon of water and wrap them in cling film.
- Wait 7 minutes for them to cook and set aside.
- On the other hand, brown the lardons in a frying pan.
- They should be browned over high heat without oil.
- Now let's move on to the zucchini carbonara recipe.
- We take out the frying pan and pour 2 drops of olive oil in it to fry our zucchini tagliatelle for 2 minutes over high heat.
- Then add the browned bacon and the fresh cream.
- Let everything cook for 2 minutes and then add pepper, salt and a few strips of Parmesan cheese.
It gives you a Arepa Reina Pepiada?
Origins of the traditional carbonara sauce
The origin of carbonara sauce remains a great mystery. Although we know that it comes from Italy, there are several versions.
The surprising history of carbonara sauce and its mysteries
One of the most famous stories is that the creators were simply the charcoal burners (the "carbonari").
These workers made charcoal in the Italian Apennines. With the winter cold, the back-breaking tasks and the diminished quality of their taste buds due to the charcoal, they would have come up with a hearty recipe with what they had on hand. Pasta, salted pork, Italian cheese and eggs to make a filling and tasty recipe. They would have contributed to making one of the most famous Italian sauces in the world.
But its origins remain controversial
Although everyone agrees that our transalpine friends are at the origin of this succulent sauce, several specialists and historians disagree about its genesis. Some say the sauce is relatively recent, such as the version that carbonara was created during World War II to meet the needs of Allied soldiers. In any case, there will always be something to debate, and that is what makes this sauce so special.
You can continue to see arepas colombianas, arepas venezolanas
If you want to know other articles similar to Carbonara sauce: Recipe, accompaniments and aromatic herbs you can visit the category Salsas.
