Description
A creamy, rich, and authentic Roman pasta dish made with eggs, pancetta (or guanciale), and Pecorino Romano for a luxurious, velvety texture.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 12 oz (340g) spaghetti
- 4 oz (115g) pancetta or guanciale, diced
- 2 large eggs + 1 egg yolk
- 1 cup Pecorino Romano cheese, grated
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Salt (for pasta water)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook spaghetti until al dente, reserving 1/2 cup of pasta water before draining.
- In a pan over medium heat, cook diced pancetta or guanciale until crispy. Remove from heat.
- In a bowl, whisk together eggs, egg yolk, grated Pecorino Romano, and black pepper.
- Add the hot drained pasta to the pan with pancetta, tossing to coat in the rendered fat.
- Remove from heat and quickly mix in the egg mixture, stirring continuously to create a creamy sauce without scrambling the eggs.
- Add reserved pasta water a little at a time if needed to reach a silky consistency.
- Serve immediately, topped with extra Pecorino and black pepper.
Notes
- Use guanciale for a more authentic Roman-style carbonara.
- Do not add cream! The creamy texture comes from the emulsified eggs and cheese.
- Work quickly when mixing the eggs into the hot pasta to prevent scrambling.
