Spaghetti carbonara is one of my go-to recipes when I crave comfort food and need something quick for dinner. I have tried a few versions some of which use cream – personally, I think that a well beaten egg mixed with creamy parmesan does the job just fine. I love how in just 20 minutes with minimal effort and only a handful of ingredients you get yourself a bowl of delicious pasta. Here’s what I use:
Ingredients overview for a simple Spaghetti Carbonara:
Pasta: traditionally, spaghetti carbonara uses exactly that – spaghetti pasta.
Bacon: I like my bacon crunchy. This is why I use strips of smoked bacon that I cut in squares and then fry for a little longer, about 10 minutes, until they become browned and crispy.
Cheese: although the traditional recipe calls for pecorino, I mostly use parmesan. Grated parmesan is easily available and when I make a simple dinner, I like to keep it simple 😉 Jokes aside, I find that mild parmesan has just the right amount of saltiness and its creamy texture blends in nicely with the sauce.
Black pepper: I use freshly ground black pepper – a couple of grinds in the very end for a fresh, peppery aroma and a little heat.
Preparation tips:
- Add a few smashed cloves of garlic to your bacon when frying it to infuse the oils with the sweet and slightly pungent aromas of cooked garlic. Afterwards you can keep it in the pasta or discard.
- Reserve a cup of pasta water – with carbonara, it is particularly important. The egg mixture will dry the pasta a little and the starchy cooking water will help bring it to just the right consistency.
- Pour in the eggs mixture very slowly and use tongs to toss the pasta continuously. This will ensure an even coating.
Buon appetito!
Spaghetti Carbonara
Equipment
- 1 Skillet
- 1 Pot
Ingredients
- 300 g Spaghetti Pasta
- 450 g Pack of Bacon Slices cut into squares
- 5 cloves Garlic slightly smashed
- 1 Egg
- 1 tbsp Finely grated parmesan cheese
- 1 tsp Salt
- Black Pepper
Instructions
- Heat a non-stick skillet to medium-high and start frying bacon.
- After 2-3 minutes add the garlic cloves and continue frying until the bacon has browned, for about 7-10 minutes (or less if you like it softer).
- Meanwhile, boil pasta in salted water for one minute short of cooking time. Drain and reserve 1 cup of cooking water.
- Beat the egg with 1 tbsp water. Stir in 1 tbsp grated parmesan into the egg mixture.
- Add the drained spaghetti to the pan with bacon and toss to coat the pasta with bacon fat.
- Slowly start pouring the egg mixture into the pasta, tossing and swirling the spaghetti with tongs so that the egg breaks down. Continue until you run out of mixture, then pour a little of the reserved cooking water – keep tossing and turning.
- Once all egg mixture is incorporated and the pasta looks moist and is al dente, you are done.
- Season with ground black pepper and serve immediately.
