Spaghetti Carbonara is often made with cream in the U.S., but the authentic Italian version gets its saucy texture just from eggs and Parmesan – with a bit of bacon thrown in for good measure.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Ingredients:
- 2 eggs
- 3 oz. parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves
- 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper, plus more for garnish
- 1/4 lb. pancetta or bacon
- 2 cloves garlic
- 3 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1 Tbsp. salt
- 1 lb. spaghetti or spaghettini
Preparation:
- Put a large pot of water on to boil. Meanwhile, crack eggs into a large bowl and beat lightly.
- Finely shred or grate cheese, add 1/2 of it to the eggs and set the rest aside. Finely chop parsley and add to eggs. Add pepper and whisk to combine well. Set aside.
- Cut pancetta or bacon into 1/4-inch-thick slices, peel and chop garlic, and set both aside. Heat olive oil in a small frying pan over medium-high heat. Add pancetta or bacon and cook, stirring frequently, until it starts to brown. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add wine to the pancetta or bacon and cook until liquid is reduced by about half. Remove pan from heat and set aside.
- When water boils, add salt and spaghetti. Boil pasta until it is tender to the bite. Drain well and immediately pour pasta into the bowl with the egg mixture. Toss to thoroughly coat the pasta with the egg mixture (the heat from the pasta will partly cook the egg and melt the cheese).
- Pour the pancetta mixture on top of the pasta and toss to combine thoroughly. Sprinkle the pasta with the remaining cheese and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.
