Rich, silky, and deeply comforting, this classic Italian carbonara turns a handful of simple ingredients into pure luxury. The glossy egg-and-parmesan sauce clings to every strand of pasta, with golden pancetta adding a savory crunch in every bite.
Ingredients
- 300 g (10 oz) pancetta or bacon
- 200 g (7 oz) pasta
- 4-5 eggs
- 80 g (about 1 cup) parmesan
- Ground black pepper
Instructions
- Separate the yolks from the whites. Pepper the yolks, whisk, add half the parmesan, and stir.
- Dice the meat.
- Boil the pasta in salted water until al dente (1 minute less than the package says).
- Put the meat in a cold skillet, then turn on the heat and fry over medium until golden, no oil needed.
- Splash in a little pasta water, add the pasta, toss briefly, then add the yolks and stir fast over the heat for 30 seconds. Take off the heat and keep stirring until the sauce coats every strand.
- Plate, shower with cheese, and serve immediately.
If you love Italian pasta nights, try our Italian Pasta Carbonara and our Classic Pasta Bolognese.
Tips
- Work quickly off the heat so the yolks form a silky sauce instead of scrambling.
- Reserve a cup of pasta water — a splash loosens the sauce and helps it coat the pasta beautifully.
- Use plenty of freshly ground black pepper and serve at once; for more on this Roman classic, see the guides at Serious Eats and Allrecipes.
Nutrition: per 100 g: 300.3 kcal, protein 14.8 g, fat 11.3 g, carbs 33.3 g