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Delicious Pasta Carbonara with creamy sauce, pancetta, egg yolks, and black pepper is featured in this food article.

PASTA CARBONARA ULTIMATE RECIPE

This Pasta Carbonara recipe delivers an authentically Italian and consistently perfect dish, avoiding the common pitfall of scrambled eggs. The secret lies in understanding the delicate balance of heat, cheese, and pasta water to create a silky smooth, emulsified sauce.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 4
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Calories: 650
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pound dried pasta spaghetti, bucatini, or rigatoni
  • 4 ounces guanciale, cut into 1/4-inch thick lardons
  • 4 large egg yolks
  • 1 whole large egg
  • 1 cup finely grated Pecorino Romano cheese, plus more for serving
  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste at least 1 teaspoon
  • Salt, for pasta water
  • 1 cup reserved pasta water

Equipment

  • Large pot
  • Large Skillet
  • Medium bowl
  • Whisk
  • Tongs or pasta fork
  • Grater

Method
 

  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil.
  2. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Reserve about 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
  3. While the pasta is cooking, cook the guanciale in a large skillet over medium heat until crispy and golden brown, rendering out its fat.
  4. Remove the guanciale from the skillet and set aside, leaving the rendered fat in the pan.
  5. In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, whole egg, and Pecorino Romano cheese until smooth and well combined.
  6. Season generously with freshly ground black pepper.
  7. Drain the pasta and immediately add it to the skillet with the rendered guanciale fat. Toss to coat.
  8. Remove the skillet from the heat.
  9. Pour the egg mixture over the hot pasta and quickly toss everything together, adding a little of the reserved pasta water at a time, until a creamy sauce forms that coats the pasta.
  10. Add the crispy guanciale to the pasta and toss again.
  11. Serve immediately, topped with more grated Pecorino Romano cheese and freshly ground black pepper.

Notes

For an authentic flavor, use guanciale. If unavailable, pancetta can be substituted. Temperature control is crucial; remove the skillet from the heat before adding the egg mixture to prevent scrambling. Add pasta water gradually to achieve desired consistency. Carbonara is best served immediately. For variation, consider adding a pinch of red pepper flakes for a touch of heat.