Authentic Carbonara
Authentic carbonara uses no heavy cream. Its rich, creamy sauce comes from just egg yolks and Parmesan. The key is to render savory fat from the bacon, emulsify the oil by adding pasta water little by little, then take the pan off the heat before stirring in the yolk sauce. It's a wonderful pasta to enjoy at home with a glass of wine on a special day.
Ingredients
Ingredients
- Pasta noodles100–150 g
- Bacon2 strips
- Garlic3 cloves
- Olive oil3 Tbsp
- Water1L
- Salt1 tbsp
Sauce
- Egg yolks2
- Grated parmesan cheese2 tbsp
- Black pepper1 tsp
- SaltA pinch
- Pasta water3 ladles
Directions
- 1
Bring 1 L of water with 1 tbsp salt to a boil and cook the pasta. The water should taste slightly salty.
- 2
While the pasta cooks, add 3 tbsp olive oil to a pan.
- 3
Add 2 strips of bacon and fry over low heat.
- 4
Fry for 3–4 minutes until the bacon has rendered plenty of fat.
- 5
If there's too much fat, you can wipe out the excess and leave about 4 tbsp. (Optional)
- 6
Add thinly sliced garlic (about 3 cloves) and fry for about 1 minute to release its aroma.
- 7
Add the pasta, boiled for about 5 minutes, to the pan and toss quickly over medium heat for 20 seconds.
- 8
Add about 3 ladles of the pasta water.
- 9
Keep tossing and stirring, adding pasta water little by little, so the oil emulsifies into a sauce. About 2 minutes will do. Season with salt and pepper to taste at this point.
- 10
While the pasta cools a little on one side, make the sauce. Combine 2 egg yolks, a pinch of salt, and 2 tbsp Parmesan and mix well.
- 11
Once the pasta has cooled to lukewarm, pour in the yolk sauce. (If it's too hot, the yolks will cook.)
- 12
Toss evenly with the sauce. If it's too thick, add half a ladle to a ladle of warm pasta water to reach the consistency you like.
- 13
Plate it up and enjoy.
Tips
TIP 1. The emulsion is everything. Like a good aglio e olio, the oil and garlic aroma must be well developed so the yolk sauce tastes savory. TIP 2. Salt the pasta water generously. The pasta tastes better when it's seasoned inside. TIP 3. Let the pasta cool to lukewarm before mixing in the yolk sauce. If it's too hot, the egg will cook and clump. TIP 4. If the sauce is too thick, add a ladle of warm pasta water and adjust to the consistency you like.