Spaghetti Carbonara, a classic Italian dish originating from Rome, is a symphony of simplicity and flavor. This delectable pasta dish features a creamy, rich sauce made from eggs, cheese, and pancetta or guanciale, all of which are tossed with perfectly cooked spaghetti. The result is a harmonious combination of textures and flavors that will tantalize your taste buds.
In this comprehensive guide, we present three variations of the beloved Spaghetti Carbonara: a traditional recipe that stays true to the original Roman version, a vegetarian alternative that uses mushrooms instead of pancetta or guanciale, and a modern twist that incorporates both peas and asparagus for a vibrant and colorful dish. Each recipe is accompanied by step-by-step instructions and helpful tips to ensure you achieve the perfect plate of Spaghetti Carbonara every time.
SPAGHETTI ALLA CARBONARA
For a quick dinner, whip up Tyler Florence's authentic Spaghetti alla Carbonara recipe, a rich tangle of pasta, pancetta and egg, from Food Network.
Provided by Tyler Florence
Categories main-dish
Time 25m
Yield 4 to 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Prepare the sauce while the pasta is cooking to ensure that the spaghetti will be hot and ready when the sauce is finished; it is very important that the pasta is hot when adding the egg mixture, so that the heat of the pasta cooks the raw eggs in the sauce.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add the pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until tender yet firm (as they say in Italian "al dente.") Drain the pasta well, reserving 1/2 cup of the starchy cooking water to use in the sauce if you wish.
- Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a deep skillet over medium flame. Add the pancetta and saute for about 3 minutes, until the bacon is crisp and the fat is rendered. Toss the garlic into the fat and saute for less than 1 minute to soften.
- Add the hot, drained spaghetti to the pan and toss for 2 minutes to coat the strands in the bacon fat. Beat the eggs and Parmesan together in a mixing bowl, stirring well to prevent lumps. Remove the pan from the heat and pour the egg/cheese mixture into the pasta, whisking quickly until the eggs thicken, but do not scramble (this is done off the heat to ensure this does not happen.) Thin out the sauce with a bit of the reserved pasta water, until it reaches desired consistency. Season the carbonara with several turns of freshly ground black pepper and taste for salt. Mound the spaghetti carbonara into warm serving bowls and garnish with chopped parsley. Pass more cheese around the table.
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.
ULTIMATE SPAGHETTI CARBONARA RECIPE
Discover how to make superb spaghetti carbonara. This cheesy pasta dish is an Italian favourite and with the right technique, you can make it perfect every time
Provided by Angela Nilsen
Categories Dinner, Main course
Time 35m
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Put a large saucepan of water on to boil.
- Finely chop the 100g pancetta, having first removed any rind. Finely grate 50g pecorino cheese and 50g parmesan and mix them together.
- Beat the 3 large eggs in a medium bowl and season with a little freshly grated black pepper. Set everything aside.
- Add 1 tsp salt to the boiling water, add 350g spaghetti and when the water comes back to the boil, cook at a constant simmer, covered, for 10 minutes or until al dente (just cooked).
- Squash 2 peeled plump garlic cloves with the blade of a knife, just to bruise it.
- While the spaghetti is cooking, fry the pancetta with the garlic. Drop 50g unsalted butter into a large frying pan or wok and, as soon as the butter has melted, tip in the pancetta and garlic.
- Leave to cook on a medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring often, until the pancetta is golden and crisp. The garlic has now imparted its flavour, so take it out with a slotted spoon and discard.
- Keep the heat under the pancetta on low. When the pasta is ready, lift it from the water with a pasta fork or tongs and put it in the frying pan with the pancetta. Don't worry if a little water drops in the pan as well (you want this to happen) and don't throw the pasta water away yet.
- Mix most of the cheese in with the eggs, keeping a small handful back for sprinkling over later.
- Take the pan of spaghetti and pancetta off the heat. Now quickly pour in the eggs and cheese. Using the tongs or a long fork, lift up the spaghetti so it mixes easily with the egg mixture, which thickens but doesn't scramble, and everything is coated.
- Add extra pasta cooking water to keep it saucy (several tablespoons should do it). You don't want it wet, just moist. Season with a little salt, if needed.
- Use a long-pronged fork to twist the pasta on to the serving plate or bowl. Serve immediately with a little sprinkling of the remaining cheese and a grating of black pepper. If the dish does get a little dry before serving, splash in some more hot pasta water and the glossy sauciness will be revived.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 655 calories, Fat 31 grams fat, SaturatedFat 16 grams saturated fat, Carbohydrate 66 grams carbohydrates, Fiber 3 grams fiber, Protein 32 grams protein, Sodium 2.02 milligram of sodium
THE ULTIMATE SPAGHETTI CARBONARA
Looks so good and delicious with cooked bacon and parmesan cheese. Of course, there are eggs and a little heavy cream to round out the flavors. Add some freshly ground black pepper and you are in heaven! Recipe is from Tyler Florence who says "if it weren't for this dish, he would have starved to death at college".
Provided by DailyInspiration
Categories Lunch/Snacks
Time 20m
Yield 4 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the spaghetti.
- Heat a 3-count of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the bacon and onion and cook for 7-8 minutes, until the onion is caramelized and the bacon is crisp. While cooking the onion and bacon, crack the eggs into a big serving bowl. Add the cream and cheese and whisk. Scrape the bacon and onion into the bowl along with the cooking fat.
- Before draining pasta, scoop out 1/4 cup of the pasta cooking water and add it to the bowl with the bacon and eggs. Drain the spaghetti and add it to the bowl - toss well. Place a plate on top of the bowl to hold in the heat and let sit 5 minutes. Remove the plate, toss in some salt and cracked black pepper and the parsley.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 684.6, Fat 23.9, SaturatedFat 10.6, Cholesterol 233.2, Sodium 318.4, Carbohydrate 89.3, Fiber 4.2, Sugar 4.5, Protein 26.3
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
Tips:
- Use high-quality ingredients: Fresh, high-quality ingredients will make a big difference in the taste of your carbonara. Use good quality spaghetti, pancetta, eggs, and cheese.
- Cook the pancetta until it is crispy: This will add a delicious smoky flavor to the dish.
- Use fresh eggs: Fresh eggs will give the carbonara a rich, creamy texture.
- Don't overcook the eggs: The eggs should be cooked until they are just set, but still slightly runny. Overcooked eggs will make the carbonara dry and rubbery.
- Use a large bowl to mix the ingredients: This will make it easier to combine all of the ingredients evenly.
- Serve the carbonara immediately: Carbonara is best served immediately after it is made. If you need to make it ahead of time, you can cook the pasta and pancetta and then store them separately in the refrigerator. When you are ready to serve, simply reheat the pasta and pancetta and then add the eggs and cheese.
Conclusion:
Spaghetti carbonara is a classic Italian dish that is easy to make and delicious. By following these tips, you can make a perfect carbonara that your family and friends will love. Remember, the key to a great carbonara is to use high-quality ingredients and to not overcook the eggs. With a little practice, you'll be able to make a carbonara that is as good as any you've had in a restaurant.
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