The Best Creamy Carbonara Recipe

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Carbonara is the most famous pasta dish of recent years: it’s taken Instagram by storm, everyone wants carbonara, and thank goodness it seems everyone has finally realized that carbonara isn’t made with cream or mushrooms. Now, I’m here to play devil’s advocate: I do like pasta with cream and mushrooms, it evokes a lot of nostalgia, but of course, calling it carbonara is a bit of a stretch.

The great thing about carbonara is that it’s a relatively simple dish to make; you can have it ready in 15 minutes if you’re good at multitasking. Of course, there’s a slightly technical aspect to it: if you’ve never made it before, you might easily end up with a spaghetti omelet or a runny egg soup. You have to know how to find the perfect heat level so that the eggs set properly and emulsify with the cooking water, creating that characteristic creamy and smooth sauce.

While not everything simple can be improved, and the carbonara recipe is perfect as it is, chef Luciano Monosilio’s version is known in Rome as one of the best. The Italian channel Italia Squisita, one of my go-to sources for Italian cuisine, called it “the most technically proficient carbonara in Italy.”

I don’t know if it’s the most technical, because in fact, I think the method he uses makes everything easier, but I do believe the result is somewhat better than the original recipe, and the only difference is that you have to wash one more bowl.

But honestly, both recipes are delicious. And yes, you can use bacon or pancetta instead of guanciale; and Parmesan instead of pecorino, or instead of Grana Padano. Basically, do whatever you want, and ignore the pesky purists. Because if nothing else, they’re certainly pesky.

RECIPE INFORMATION

  • DIFFICULTY: EASY
  • INGREDIENTS: MEDIUM
  • TIME: 15 MINS
  • ACTIVE TIME: 15 MINS
  • QUANTITY: 1 SERVING

INGREDIENTS

– BASIC CARBONARA

  • 1 slice of guanciale
  • 50 g pecorino Romano (or parmesan)
  • 1 large egg
  • 3 L buds
  • Freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • Salt
  • 150g of spaghetti

– CARBONARA GOURMET

  • 1 slice of guanciale, 1.5 cm thick
  • 4 L buds
  • 30g of Grana Padano
  • 20g of pecorino romano
  • 150g of spaghetti
  • Black pepper to taste
  • Salt

METHOD

– BASIC CARBONARA

recipe image legacy id 1001491 11 2e0fa5c
  1. Cut the guanciale into small pieces and add it to a cold pan over high heat.
  2. Put the pasta in boiling, heavily salted water and cook it according to the package instructions.
  3. Separate the egg yolks and add them to a bowl. Crack the egg. Beat until smooth.
  4. Add the grated pecorino romano and plenty of black pepper. Mix everything together.
  5. When the guanciale is golden brown and has released plenty of fat, remove it from the pan and set it aside.
  6. Transfer the pasta directly to the pan, two minutes before it is al dente, along with a little cooking water.
  7. Mix thoroughly, emulsifying the fat with the water and adding water as it is absorbed, until the paste reaches the desired consistency.
  8. Remove the pasta from the heat. Wait until you can no longer hear any sound coming from the pan.
  9. Add the guanciale and the mixture of eggs, cheese, and pepper. Mix thoroughly, creating the sauce.
  10. Serve immediately and finish with additional grated pecorino and black pepper.

– CARBONARA GOURMET

espaguetis carbonara
  1. Cut the guanciale into large cubes and add them to a cold pan over high heat.
  2. Put the pasta in boiling, heavily salted water and cook it according to the package instructions.
  3. Separate the egg yolks and add them to a bowl. Add the grated Grana Padano and Pecorino Romano cheeses, followed by freshly ground black pepper.
  4. When the guanciale is golden brown, turn the heat down to medium and cook for 1 more minute.
  5. Reserve the guanciale and the fat from it.
  6. Add the fat to the bowl with the egg yolks and cheese and mix everything together.
  7. When the pasta has 1 minute left to cook, reserve 200 ml of the cooking water and drain the pasta. Reserve some water in the saucepan and return it to medium-high heat.
  8. Place the bowl of the egg yolk mixture over the saucepan, in a bain-marie, and whisk, adding cooking water at a time, until it doubles in volume, acquires a paler color and has the desired consistency.
  9. Add the pasta and continue churning and adding water until it reaches the desired consistency.
  10. Add the guanciale and incorporate it.
  11. Serve immediately. Finish with grated Grana Padano cheese and freshly ground black pepper.