How to Make Carbonara
Set a large, well-salted pot of water to boil on the stove., Chop up the pancetta, guanciale, or bacon into quarter-inch squares., Whip together the eggs, cheese, salt, and pepper in a small mixing bowl., Boil the spaghetti (or other pasta of your...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Set a large
You want the water to almost taste like an ocean.
Roughly 2 tablespoons of salt for 6 quarts of water should cover it nicely., If you want the most authentically Italian dish, use the guanciale, found at specialty shops, butchers, or online.
You can even make your own! If guanciale is unavailable, however, pancetta and bacon make excellent substitutes.
Use a sharp knife to cut it into little squares that cook quickly and are easy to eat., Crack the eggs in and add you grated cheese.
A blend of Pecorino and Parmesan is the classic mixture, but asiago, romano, or any combination of them will work as well.
Add a pinch of salt and a generous helping of ground black pepper, then whisk it all together into a smooth, consistent liquid.
Set aside.
Don't worry if you do this early
-- the eggs will mix in better if they're allowed to warm to room temperature.
The best pancetta is a quick-moving cooking process.
Preparing the eggs and meat, instead of trying to do it all on the fly, will lead to a better dish. , Spaghetti is the classic choice, but you can use whatever you have in the house if you'd like.
You want the pasta to cook until it is just about al dente
-- it should be just a touch firmer than you'd normally cook it.
Make sure to stir it every 2-3 minutes.
Note that you need to keep working as the pasta cooks
-- this dish is all about timing and using your heat wisely.
This should take 8-10 minutes., One of the biggest tricks of carbonara is heating the eggs enough to cook, but not enough that they scramble or turn solid.
By "cooking" the eggs later in this hot bowl, instead of over direct heat, you can accomplish this with relative ease.The bowl doesn't need to be boiling hot
-- the hottest water out of your tap is likely fine. , Once the pasta is in, you need to get started on the "sauce." Once the oil has just started to let off a little smoke, you're ready to move on. , It should just be starting to darken and crisp up, but shouldn't quite be finished cooking yet. , Before you drain the pasta, be sure to scoop up a little extra for later.
Hot, starchy water from cooking helps your sauce bind to the pasta instead of forming a puddle in your bowl, and it is the best way to keep the dish hot without overcooking the eggs., This allows the pork fat to coat the pasta strands richly, helping create your egg sauce later on.
It only needs a minute or two over the heat.
If you're cooking for company and you aren't quite ready to serve yet, you can cut the heat to both and then reheat in the pan later, adding a splash of the starchy water to keep everything moist. , Pour 2-3 tablespoons of the hot water from cooking the pasta into your egg mixture and immediately stir it in.
This "tempers" the eggs, warming them slowly so that the next step isn't a heat shock.
Move quickly from here on out
-- you should be serving the dish in the next 4-5 minutes so that it all stays hot., Keep it moving as you do to ensure that the egg mixture coats the entire dish.
If it gets a little sticky or difficult to stir, add a splash of the starchy water to thin it out and keep it mixing. , Once you've mixed the egg into the pasta, it's time to eat
-- the egg only needs a few seconds to cook if you've kept everything hot.
You can garnish it with:
Grated cheese Black Pepper Italian parsley Sliced green onions -
Step 2: well-salted pot of water to boil on the stove.
-
Step 3: Chop up the pancetta
-
Step 4: guanciale
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Step 5: or bacon into quarter-inch squares.
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Step 6: Whip together the eggs
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Step 7: cheese
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Step 8: and pepper in a small mixing bowl.
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Step 9: Boil the spaghetti (or other pasta of your choice) until almost cooked.
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Step 10: Fill a large mixing bowl with hot water and set aside.
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Step 11: Heat up 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat while the pasta cooks.
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Step 12: Add the chopped meat to the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes.
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Step 13: Remove and drain the pasta
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Step 14: saving 1/2 cup of the hot
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Step 15: starchy water.
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Step 16: Toss the pasta in with the almost-finished meat and cook for an additional minute.
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Step 17: Empty the bowl full of hot water and toss in the pasta and meat mixture.
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Step 18: Slowly
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Step 19: stirring the whole time
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Step 20: pour the egg/cheese mixture into the pasta.
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Step 21: Serve with a light garnish immediately.
Detailed Guide
You want the water to almost taste like an ocean.
Roughly 2 tablespoons of salt for 6 quarts of water should cover it nicely., If you want the most authentically Italian dish, use the guanciale, found at specialty shops, butchers, or online.
You can even make your own! If guanciale is unavailable, however, pancetta and bacon make excellent substitutes.
Use a sharp knife to cut it into little squares that cook quickly and are easy to eat., Crack the eggs in and add you grated cheese.
A blend of Pecorino and Parmesan is the classic mixture, but asiago, romano, or any combination of them will work as well.
Add a pinch of salt and a generous helping of ground black pepper, then whisk it all together into a smooth, consistent liquid.
Set aside.
Don't worry if you do this early
-- the eggs will mix in better if they're allowed to warm to room temperature.
The best pancetta is a quick-moving cooking process.
Preparing the eggs and meat, instead of trying to do it all on the fly, will lead to a better dish. , Spaghetti is the classic choice, but you can use whatever you have in the house if you'd like.
You want the pasta to cook until it is just about al dente
-- it should be just a touch firmer than you'd normally cook it.
Make sure to stir it every 2-3 minutes.
Note that you need to keep working as the pasta cooks
-- this dish is all about timing and using your heat wisely.
This should take 8-10 minutes., One of the biggest tricks of carbonara is heating the eggs enough to cook, but not enough that they scramble or turn solid.
By "cooking" the eggs later in this hot bowl, instead of over direct heat, you can accomplish this with relative ease.The bowl doesn't need to be boiling hot
-- the hottest water out of your tap is likely fine. , Once the pasta is in, you need to get started on the "sauce." Once the oil has just started to let off a little smoke, you're ready to move on. , It should just be starting to darken and crisp up, but shouldn't quite be finished cooking yet. , Before you drain the pasta, be sure to scoop up a little extra for later.
Hot, starchy water from cooking helps your sauce bind to the pasta instead of forming a puddle in your bowl, and it is the best way to keep the dish hot without overcooking the eggs., This allows the pork fat to coat the pasta strands richly, helping create your egg sauce later on.
It only needs a minute or two over the heat.
If you're cooking for company and you aren't quite ready to serve yet, you can cut the heat to both and then reheat in the pan later, adding a splash of the starchy water to keep everything moist. , Pour 2-3 tablespoons of the hot water from cooking the pasta into your egg mixture and immediately stir it in.
This "tempers" the eggs, warming them slowly so that the next step isn't a heat shock.
Move quickly from here on out
-- you should be serving the dish in the next 4-5 minutes so that it all stays hot., Keep it moving as you do to ensure that the egg mixture coats the entire dish.
If it gets a little sticky or difficult to stir, add a splash of the starchy water to thin it out and keep it mixing. , Once you've mixed the egg into the pasta, it's time to eat
-- the egg only needs a few seconds to cook if you've kept everything hot.
You can garnish it with:
Grated cheese Black Pepper Italian parsley Sliced green onions
About the Author
Sara Allen
Sara Allen has dedicated 4 years to mastering lifestyle and practical guides. As a content creator, Sara focuses on providing actionable tips and step-by-step guides.
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