Carbonara is a delicious pasta dish 20th century pasta dish from Rome. To create a silky, richer and satisfying meal, classic carbonara recipes employ these three ingredients: eggs, cheese, and pork (plus pork fat). And the main spice is decidedly ground black pepper.
A twist on Carbonara
Carbonara recipes vary a lot in terms of how many eggs or egg yolks are used. You may see anywhere from two to eight eggs used in the sauce! In this easy carbonara recipe, I’ve found the combination of three whole eggs and one yolk sufficient to create a smooth and creamy sauce without weighing the pasta down and creating a custard-like texture (no one wants that!)
And, in this twist on classic carbonara, we can actually do without the pork fat from cooked pork (typically guanciale or pancetta). Instead, we rely on extra virgin olive oil and juices from perfectly seasoned, garlic roasted tomatoes (which are tossed in at the end.) The roasted tomatoes add brightness and flavor in this lightened up carbonara! But for those who still need a little pork, feel free to toss in few ribbons of Prosciutto.
Carbonara Sauce
A bit more on the carbonara sauce here. What’s in it? In addition to eggs and egg yolk (the perfect combination of 3 eggs and 1 yolk for just enough creaminess), I like to use a mixture of Pecorino Romano and Parmigiano-Reggiano. The two cheeses together deliver a balanced Roman flavor without making the pasta taste too salty or sharp. The fat is mainly delivered from quality extra virgin olive oil. For more flavor and freshness, I toss in a healthy dose of parsley and basil!
Important Carbonara Tip
The biggest challenge many face when making carbonara is how to mix the pasta into the egg sauce/mixture without scrambling the eggs. You need enough heat to thicken the egg mixture and melt the cheese, but not too much heat that you end up scrambling the eggs. In this carbonara recipe, the heat we need is delivered through the use of a large mixing bowl that’s been heated with the hot cooking water from the pasta (see step #6). And working quickly to combine the pasta and the egg mixture will also help so you don’t end up with scrambled eggs (step #7). Follow this easy carbonara recipe, and you’ll have yourself a bowl of perfectly satisfying and extra bright pasta dinner!
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