Spaghetti alla Carbonara is a classic Italian pasta dish that is simple to make yet incredibly flavorful. Originating from Rome, this dish is made with just a few key ingredients: spaghetti, eggs, pancetta, Pecorino Romano cheese, and black pepper. The pancetta provides a salty and smoky flavor, while the eggs and cheese create a rich and creamy sauce. Spaghetti alla Carbonara is typically served with a sprinkling of additional Pecorino Romano cheese and a grind of black pepper.
This article provides two variations of the classic Spaghetti alla Carbonara recipe: the traditional recipe and a vegetarian version. The traditional recipe uses pancetta, while the vegetarian version substitutes pancetta with mushrooms. Both recipes are easy to follow and yield a delicious and satisfying meal.
MARIO'S SPAGHETTI ALLA CARBONARA
Provided by Martha Stewart
Categories Food & Cooking Ingredients Meat & Poultry Pork Recipes
Number Of Ingredients 7
Steps:
- Bring 6 quarts of water to a boil; add salt. Meanwhile, in a 12-inch saute pan, cook onion and guanciale over medium heat until both are translucent, 8 to 10 minutes.
- Add spaghetti to the boiling water, and cook according to package instructions, until tender but al dente. Drain. Add the hot pasta to the saute pan, and toss over medium heat until coated. Add 1/4 cup cheese, and stir. Remove from the heat, and vigorously stir in egg whites.
- Divide the pasta among four plates, and top each serving with one yolk.
- Sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup grated cheese and the pepper. Serve immediately.
THE BEST CARBONARA
Now this is our idea of comfort food. Creamy and rich, it's the quintessential dish for a chilly evening. We like to splurge every once in a while and add a knob of butter to the cheesy egg sauce just to round it out. We've left that option up to you, however. Either way, we can't think of a more classic or satisfying pasta dish.
Provided by Food Network Kitchen
Categories main-dish
Time 20m
Yield 4 to 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat.
- Whisk together the eggs, yolks, Parmesan, Pecorino, pepper and butter if using in a large bowl until well combined.
- Add the pasta and cook as the label directs. Reserve 1 cup cooking water, then drain the pasta.
- Meanwhile, cook the pancetta in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp, about 8 minutes. Add the spaghetti and half the reserved pasta cooking water to the skillet and toss to combine.
- Add the egg mixture and toss to coat. Cook, tossing continuously to avoid scrambling the eggs, until the sauce is creamy, thinning it with the remaining pasta water if it becomes too thick (it should be saucy but not watery), about 1 minute.
- Divide the pasta among plates and sprinkle with more grated Parmesan.
SPAGHETTI ALLA CARBONARA: THE TRADITIONAL ITALIAN RECIPE
This dish was created in the Lazio region (the area around Rome) in the middle of the 20th century, after World War Two. We don't use cream, milk, garlic, onions or other strange ingredients; we use only guanciale, eggs, pecorino cheese, and lots of black pepper (carbonaro is the Italian for coal miner). This isn't the Italian-American version, it's the real, creamy carbonara and it comes right from Italy, where I live. Buon appetito.
Provided by ivan zeta
Categories World Cuisine Recipes European Italian
Time 30m
Yield 4
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat; add guanciale (see Cook's Note). Cook, turning occasionally, until evenly browned and crispy, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and drain on paper towels.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook spaghetti in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until tender yet firm to the bite, about 9 minutes. Drain and return to the pot. Let cool, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes.
- Whisk eggs, half of the Pecorino Romano cheese, and some black pepper in a bowl until smooth and creamy. Pour egg mixture over pasta, stirring quickly, until creamy and slightly cooled. Stir in guanciale. Top with remaining Pecorino Romano cheese and more black pepper.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 763.7 calories, Carbohydrate 85.1 g, Cholesterol 199.8 mg, Fat 28.4 g, Fiber 3.6 g, Protein 39 g, SaturatedFat 10.1 g, Sodium 1181.6 mg, Sugar 3.4 g
CARBONARA (GUANCIALE, EGG, AND PECORINO ROMANO)
Use the best, freshest eggs you can find, and don't even think of making this dish with eggs from stressed-out battery chickens. You can taste the difference. If you can find real guanciale, so much the better. Once the eggs have been added to the pasta, do not let the pan touch the heat directly or you will wind up with scrambled eggs.
Provided by Oretta Zanini De Vita
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Put the guanciale and oil in a large skillet. Sauté over medium heat until the edges of the guanciale pieces are just turning brown, about 2 minutes. Don't let it get too crisp. Set the pan and its contents aside but keep warm.
- Bring 5 quarts (5 liters) of water to a boil in an 8-quart (8-liter) pot over high heat. When the water boils, add 3 tablespoons kosher salt, then add the pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente.
- While the pasta is cooking, break the eggs into a small bowl and add all the cheese and a generous grinding of pepper. Whisk gently until the mixture is smooth.
- Drain the pasta (reserving and keeping warm a cup of its water) and put it in the skillet with the guanciale over low heat. Toss quickly to mix well.
- Holding the skillet slightly above but not touching the burner, pour the egg and cheese mixture in a stream into the pasta. Now, if you have the skill, toss the pasta with a deft movement of the wrist to blend all the contents of the pan. If you don't, remove the pan from the heat and mix quickly with two wooden spoons. If you have a warm spot, such as a food warmer or even over a pilot light, rest the pan there while you work.
- Whatever you do, work fast or the pasta will get cold and the eggs will stay raw and runny. Ideally the heat of the pasta will cook the egg just enough, and the sauce should be creamy. You can mix in a tiny bit of the reserved water to smooth things out, but you probably won't need to.
- Transfer to individual heated bowls or plates and serve instantaneously.
Tips:
- Use high-quality ingredients: The better the ingredients, the better the dish will be. Use fresh eggs, good quality cheese, and flavorful bacon or guanciale.
- Cook the pasta al dente: Pasta should be cooked al dente, or slightly firm to the bite. This will help it hold its shape and texture in the sauce.
- Don't overcook the eggs: The eggs in carbonara sauce should be cooked gently so that they thicken and become creamy, but not scrambled.
- Add the cheese and eggs to the pasta off the heat: This will help prevent the eggs from scrambling and the cheese from clumping.
- Season the sauce to taste: Carbonara sauce should be salty, cheesy, and peppery. Add salt, pepper, and grated Parmesan cheese to taste.
- Serve immediately: Carbonara is best served immediately after it is made. The sauce will thicken as it cools, so it is important to eat it while it is still hot and creamy.
Conclusion:
Spaghetti alla Carbonara is a delicious and easy-to-make pasta dish that is perfect for a quick and satisfying meal. With its simple yet flavorful ingredients, it is a classic dish that is sure to please everyone at the table. Whether you are a beginner cook or a seasoned pro, this recipe is sure to become a favorite in your kitchen.
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