Spaghetti alla Carbonara seems fitting as my first post as it was the first pasta dish I ever made. My sister and I decided to try a homemade dinner and it went terribly wrong. We cooked the pasta about an hour before preparing the sauce so when we added the spaghetti to the egg and cheese mixture it wasn’t hot enough to warm the eggs and slightly cook them, creating a cold and inedible dinner. Even worse, we let the pasta sit before serving. While we knew this dish was easy, we didn’t know how important each detail would be. This is what I’ve learned.
After lots of trial and error, Spaghetti alla Carbonara might be one of my favorite pasta dishes. Not only is it delicious it is also fairly simple, quick and affordable. It is one of my go to pasta dishes after a long workday and although it is quick, it tastes like you worked on it all day!
A few important notes to remember when making this beautiful Spaghetti alla Carbonara:
Season your pasta water so that it tastes like the ocean (don’t be shy) and then add a splash of olive oil so that the spaghetti wont stick. Reserve about a half cup of pasta water before you pour your cooked spaghetti into the colander.
Only use the best quality eggs. This is extremely important as it is what makes this sauce creamy and bright in color; I prefer pasture raised and grass fed. The yolk should be bright orange.
The key to perfect balance and flavor is using the two types of cheese, Parmesan and Romano. I am whole heartedly a Romano girl in almost every instance BUT Parmesan is necessary in this dish. If you really want the best sauce use freshly grated cheese…actually, always use freshly grated cheese in every dish you make.
Spaghetti alla Carbonara
Ingredients
¾ lbs Spaghetti
8 oz Pancetta
4 T Pecorino Romano
4 T Parmesan
1 Egg
3 Egg yolks
1 Garlic Cloves (minced)
1 T Olive Oil
Fresh ground pepper
Sea Salt
Directions
Fill a pot with water, salt and a drizzle of olive oil. Place over high heat and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add spaghetti and stir occasionally to avoid pasta from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Reserve about a half cup of pasta water.
Heat olive oil in a pan over medium high heat and sauté pancetta. Right before you are done cooking the pancetta add the finely minced garlic so that it cooks but does not brown.
In your pasta bowl add the two whole eggs and add two additional yolks, Parmesan and Romano cheese, freshly ground pepper and a pinch of salt. You don’t need a lot of salt because there is already some in the cheese and pancetta. Using a fork, mix well until everything is well incorporated.
Once pasta is cooked to your liking, strain in a colander and gradually add the pasta to the egg and cheese mixture a little at a time, stirring constantly so that the eggs don’t scramble. Add the pancetta and olive oil to pasta. If sauce is dry, add reserved pasta water until desired creaminess. Serve with additional ground pepper on top and sprinkle with Romano. Serve immediately and enjoy this spaghetti with family & friends.
Cibo E Famiglia 