Traditional Carbonara Sauce Recipe
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.
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.