La Carbonara Classica
Prepare time: 15min
Cook: 15 min
Ready in: 30 min
servings: 4 people
Ingredients
- 200 grams Guanciale (cured pork cheek)
- 4 egg yolks
- 200 grams of pecorino
- 50 grams of parmesan
- 360/400 grams of Spaghetti or Spaghettoni (thicker, longer ones)
- Black pepper
Preparation
Bring a pot with water to boil, for the pasta. Take the Guanciale and remove the pepper and skin. Cut slices about 1 cm wide. From these slices cut them into cubes about 1 cm thick. Bring a pan to high heat, when hot, add the Guanciale. Don’t use any fat the Guanciale has enough fat by itself. After a few minutes the fat will release, let it caramelize in it’s own fat for about 10/15 minutes, until super crispy. Then leave on the side.
Take both cheeses and grate them very finely. Then take the eggs and divide the yolks from the whites. Now take a bowl and mix both cheeses with the yolks and add black pepper. Mix until you have a thick paste. Leave some pecorino on the side for serving later.
Then cook the dried spaghetti 8/9 minutes or spaghettoni for about 10/12 minutes. Leave some of the Guanciale on the side for serving. Then bring the fat and the rest of the Guanciale back on the heat, add a spoonful of pasta water, then add the spaghetti al dente in the pan. Stir and cook for another minute or two, so the pasta, fat and water emulsify.
Now turn of the flame, add the cheese/egg mixture and stir the pasta. If you think it’s a little dry, add a little more pasta water until you have the right balance. The way around, if you think it’s a little bit to liquid add some more cheese. By tossing and stirring the pan all ingredients will emulsify and it will become one delicious creamy carbonara.
Serving
Make a ball of pasta and put it in the centre of the plate, add some grated pecorino on top, followed by some crispy Guanciale and extra black pepper. Time to taste this delicious traditional Carbonara!
Buon Appetito!
