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Greatest plates · Main
Spaghetti alla Carbonara
The classic Roman pasta done properly — crisp guanciale, a silky sauce of egg and pecorino, and plenty of black pepper. No cream, just technique. Each serve carries a solid hit of protein from the eggs, cured pork and sharp sheep's cheese.
Serves 4Prep 10 minCook 20 minegg & pork
Containsdairy · egg · gluten · pork
Protein 18%Carbs 44%Fat 38%
About 710 kcal a serve — 32 g protein, 78 g carbs, 30 g fat. Each segment is that macro's share of the calories, within about 10%.
Ingredients
Serves 4
Method
Boil the pasta water
pastaBring a large pot of water to the boil and add the salt. It should taste seasoned. Drop in the spaghetti and cook to just shy of al dente, about 1 minute less than the packet says. Reserve 1 metric cup (250 ml) of the starchy cooking water before draining.
In the potPasta →
Boil ~10 min
Crisp the guanciale
porkWhile the pasta cooks, place the guanciale lardons in a large cold frying pan and set over medium heat. Let the fat render slowly and the pieces turn golden and crisp, 6–8 minutes. Take the pan off the heat and leave the guanciale in its fat.
In the panGuanciale →
Render 6–8 min
Make the egg mixture
sauceIn a bowl, whisk together the whole eggs, extra yolks, grated pecorino and the black pepper until you have a thick, smooth paste. Loosen with a splash of the reserved pasta water.
In the bowlSauce →
Whisk smooth
Combine off the heat
finishAdd the drained hot spaghetti to the pan with the guanciale and toss to coat in the fat. Off the heat, pour in the egg mixture and toss vigorously, adding splashes of reserved pasta water until the sauce turns glossy and clings to the strands. The residual heat cooks the egg into a silky sauce — don't let it scramble.
In the panCombine →
Toss off heat
Serve
serveDivide between four warm bowls, top with extra grated pecorino and a good grind of black pepper. Serve immediately.
Serve hot
Cook's noteThe trick is to combine everything off the heat — a scorching pan will scramble the eggs. Keep tossing and use the starchy water to control the consistency. Guanciale is traditional but pancetta works at a pinch.
Estimated per serve
710 kcal · 32 g protein · 78 g carbs · 30 g fatestimates, within ~10%
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