Spaghetti Carbonara

Description

Carbonara is a classic Italian pasta dish from Rome made with eggs, hard cheese, cured pork, and black pepper. It's creamy, rich, and incredibly satisfying without needing any heavy cream.

Ingredients

• Pasta: Spaghetti is the traditional choice, but rigatoni or fettuccine work well too.
• Meat: Guanciale (cured pork jowl) or pancetta are authentic, but bacon is a common substitute.
• Eggs: Fresh eggs create the creamy sauce. You'll need whole eggs and sometimes extra yolks.
• Cheese: Pecorino Romano is traditional, but Parmesan (Parmigiano-Reggiano) is also delicious.
• Black Pepper: Freshly cracked black pepper is essential for cutting through the richness.
• Garlic (Optional): While not traditional, a clove of garlic adds a nice aroma.

Steps

1. Boil a large pot of salted water and cook the pasta until al dente.
2. Fry the pancetta or bacon in a pan until crisp, then remove from heat.
3. Whisk the eggs, cheese, and pepper in a bowl to create the sauce base.
4. Toss the hot pasta with the bacon fat, then remove from direct heat.
5. Quickly mix in the egg mixture (the residual heat cooks the eggs without scrambling them).
6. Serve immediately with extra cheese and pepper.