Roman-Style Spaghetti Carbonara

Many versions of carbonara use American-style smoked bacon whose smoky accents can sometimes overwhelm the dish. Some Roman versions use salted pork jowl, which is not smoked and much sweeter than bacon (somewhat difficult to find outside of Italy). My version uses pancetta (Italian salt-cured bacon), which supplies a comparably rounded and mellow flavor. Also, my version does not use whole eggs. I use egg yolks...I use multiple egg yolks...along with a little heavy cream to create an unctuously rich and luscious sauce. Mmm Mmm good!

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italian

Preparing Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Served Person: 2

saute quick heavy cream egg yolks spaghetti pasta pancetta olive oil green onions garlic romano cheese easy main dish italian dinner winter white meat free tree nut free nut free contains gluten contains red meat shellfish free contains pasta contains dairy contains eggs

Carbohydrate 70.0640056696555 g
Cholesterol 7611.01410144197 mg
Fat 201.182999360141 g
Fiber 3.09378612441916 g
Protein 112.482107484069 g
Saturated Fat 71.5248601944062 g
Serving Size 1 1 Serving (797g)
Sodium 783.174830958536 mg
Sugar 66.9702195452363 g
Trans Fat 10.1309867186884 g
Calories 2543 calories

main dish

Step-by-step

Add olive oil to a large skillet or saute pan over medium heat. Add diced pancetta and cook, stirring frequently until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Add in the garlic and onion and continue cooking and stirring until just fragrant, about 1 minute. Remove from heat.
Cook pasta in boiling salted water until al dente (just tender).
In a small bowl mix together egg yolks, cream, and 1/2 tsp. salt. Just before the pasta is finished cooking, remove 1/8 to 1/4 cup of the hot pasta water and slowly whisk into the egg yolk mixture (to temper eggs), beating vigorously to prevent eggs from scrambling.
Quickly drain the pasta in a colander and return to pot. Immediately toss in the egg and pancetta mixtures, stirring the spaghetti continuously to both cook the eggs and coat the pasta. Serve immediately in heated bowls with a healthy grind of black pepper and season with salt to taste. Top with grated Pecorino Romano, if desired

Carbonara differs fundamentally from cream-heavy fettuccine Alfredo by relying on residual heat and starchy water to build its emulsion rather than a prolonged simmer on the burner. When adapting this dish for personal taste or ingredient availability, pancetta serves as a reliable proxy for guanciale because its cured, unsmoked profile yields a similarly savory depth when rendered slowly over medium heat. Dice the pancetta uniformly to one-quarter inch so the pieces crisp evenly without burning the garlic during the brief one-minute sauté. Tempering the egg yolks with hot pasta water requires vigorous whisking to raise the temperature gradually without curdling the proteins into scrambled eggs. Using heavy cream alongside the yolks provides an extra margin of safety against heat shock while ensuring the final coating remains velvety. ### Managing Temperature and TextureMaintaining precise thermal control is critical when combining the drained pasta with the egg mixture off the heat source. Toss the spaghetti continuously to allow the starch from the pasta water to bind with the rendered fat and egg proteins into a cohesive glaze. While this dish performs best when served immediately in pre-warmed bowls, any refrigerated leftovers can be repurposed within two days by gently warming them in a skillet with a splash of water, though the sauce may separate slightly upon reheating.

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Roman-Style Spaghetti Carbonara

Ingredients

Nutrition facts

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