UNITS
SCALE
INGREDIENTS
PASTA
- For pasta water Salt
- 1 lb Spaghetti , dried
CARBONARA SAUCE
- ½ cup Bacon , diced
- 2 tbsp Olive oil, extra virgin
- 2 large Eggs, whole
- 6 Egg yolks
- ¼ cup Pecorino Romano cheese, grated
- ¼ cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated
- 1 tsp Black pepper, freshly grated
- 1 tbsp Olive oil, extra virgin
- ½ cup Pasta water
METHOD
- Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook, stirring, until al dente.
- Meanwhile, in a large skillet, combine bacon with olive oil in a large skillet and cook, stirring frequently, over medium heat, until fat has rendered and bacon is crisp, about 7 minutes
- In a large, heatproof bowl, whisk together whole eggs and yolks, Pecorino Romano, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and black pepper.
- Using tongs, transfer pasta to skillet with bacon and its fat; be sure not to drain boiling pasta water. Add olive oil to pasta and stir to combine; let cool slightly. Scrape pasta, bacon, and all the fat into the egg mixture. Add ½ cup pasta water to pasta and egg mixture. Stir to combine.
- Set mixing bowl over pot of boiling pasta water (ensure bottom of bowl does not touch the water) and cook, stirring quickly with tongs, until sauce thickens to a creamy consistency and leaves trails as you stir. Remove from heat and divide into bowls. Serve right away, topping with more cheese and black pepper as desired.
NOTES
- Alternatively, you can use penne pasta
- Garnish with fresh parsley, if desired
- Guanciale (cured pork jowl) can be used instead of bacon
- If desired, season pasta with salt in step 5, but use very little since the pasta water and bacon already contain salt
