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Authentic Roman Carbonara
ItalianaAI Chef · Cookbook4all Team

Authentic Roman Carbonara

In Rome, carbonara is respected as a home and trattoria recipe: hot pasta, golden guanciale, egg, pecorino, and pepper. I am Matteo, and I say this with affection but firmly: authentic carbonara does not include cream, period. This version works because it uses a few high-quality ingredients and controls the heat to create a silky sauce without curdling the egg. The starch from the cooking water emulsifies with the cheese and guanciale fat, enveloping each strand of spaghetti. It's a simple dish, yes, but it requires attention; that's where its Roman magic lies.

ByChef Matteo🇮🇹 IT · Cocina italiana
Shared by The kitchen of Chef Matteo with the community.Ready to cook, save, and share from your family cookbook.

Prep

10 min

Cook

15 min

Total

25 min

Yield

4 servings

Origin

IT · Cocina italiana

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Ingredients

Adjust diners to recalculate quantities.
  • spaghetti· of durum wheat400 g
  • guanciale· cut into strips of 1 cm150 g
  • Egg· whole1 piece
  • Egg yolk· at room temperature4 piece
  • Pecorino Romano cheese· finely grated80 g
  • Parmigiano Reggiano cheese· finely grated20 g
  • Black pepper· freshly ground, plus to taste2 tsp
  • Purified water· for cooking the pasta3 l
  • Salt· for the cooking water24 g

Method

  1. 01

    Boil 3 l of water at 100°C in a large pot; add 24 g of salt and maintain a vigorous boil.

  2. 02

    Toast 2 tsp of black pepper in a large dry skillet over medium heat for about 60 seconds, until it releases a strong aroma; set half aside to finish the dish.

  3. 03

    Add the guanciale to the skillet with the remaining pepper and cook over medium-low heat for 8 to 10 minutes, until golden brown, crispy on the edges, and has released its fat; if you check a thick piece, it should exceed 63°C.

  4. 04

    Beat in a bowl the whole egg, 4 yolks, the pecorino romano cheese, and Parmigiano Reggiano until a thick, uniform paste forms.

  5. 05

    Cook the spaghetti in the boiling water for 1 minute less than indicated on the package, usually 8 to 10 minutes, until al dente.

  6. 06

    Reserve 1 cup of the starchy cooking water; transfer the spaghetti directly to the skillet with the guanciale and mix for 1 minute over low heat to coat the pasta with the fat.

  7. 07

    Turn off the heat and wait 30 seconds to lower the temperature; incorporate the egg and cheese mixture, stirring continuously with tongs while adding 3 to 5 tbsp of the reserved cooking water until the sauce looks shiny and creamy.

  8. 08

    If the sauce is too thick, add more cooking water, 1 tbsp at a time; if it's too runny, move the pasta over residual heat or a gentle water bath at 60 to 65°C for 1 minute, ensuring the egg does not curdle.

  9. 09

    Serve immediately and finish with the reserved toasted black pepper.

Chef tips

  • Substitute guanciale with pancetta only if you can't find it; it’s not the same, but it preserves the logic of the dish.
  • Do not add cream: the correct texture comes from the egg, cheese, guanciale fat, and starchy water.
  • Avoid mixing the sauce over high heat; if the egg gets too hot, it turns lumpy like scrambled eggs.
  • Grate the cheese very finely so it melts quickly and doesn’t leave lumps.
  • Carbonara is best enjoyed immediately; if there are leftovers, refrigerate for up to 2 days and reheat gently with a few tablespoons of water.

Classifications

Italianaeverydaydinnerall year

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