When the Pasta alla Carbonara I was making went wrong and instead turned into spaghetti with scrambled eggs, I turned to chef Claudia Cillaria for help. Claudia spent many years in the restaurant industry and now teaches travelers to make authentic Italian dishes from her home kitchen in Zagarolo, Italy, just outside Rome.
“The pan was too hot,” she advised. “The fire must be extinguished when you pour in the eggs.”
I started again, determined to achieve pasta perfection on the next try. The ingredients are simple: eggs, bacon, pasta and cheese. The silky texture comes from stirring in a few tablespoons of the pasta water. For a more authentic flavor, it’s worth seeking out guanciale, a bacon cured with spices and made from the pork jowl instead of the belly, for its herby richness.
I try it again, this time turning off the heat before adding the eggs and cheese to the pasta and bacon. I gently massage the mixture into the top layer of noodles to keep it from touching the hot pan until the ingredients meld together, then widen the swirls to gradually coat all of the noodles in the pan.
It works! The ingredients transform into the irresistible, creamy comfort I remember from Claudia’s kitchen.
Claudia's Pasta alla Carbonara
Ingredients
- 320 grams dried spaghetti noodles (approx. 11 oz.)
- 150 grams bacon or guanciale (approx. 5 oz.)
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 whole egg (white and yolk)
- 50 grams pecorino or parmesan cheese, grated (approx. 1/2 cup)
- salt and pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- Pour the eggs into a bowl and mix well with a fork or whisk. Stir in the grated cheese, salt and pepper.
- Bring a large pot of water (big enough to accommodate the pasta) to a boil on the stovetop. Add 1 teaspoon of salt (if desired). Immerse pasta in boiling water and cook for a 1-2 minutes little less than the time indicated on the package (al dente).
- While the pasta is cooking, dice the bacon and cook it in a non-stick pan until it browns (approximately 3-5 minutes). Remove from the heat and drain the fat, leaving about 1 Tablespoon.
- Drain the pasta, reserving about 1 cup of the pasta water.
- Return the pan with the bacon to stove and set the burner to low. Add pasta and swirl with tongs or a pasta spoon to coat the noodles. Add reserved pasta water one tablespoon at a time until it starts to develop a creamy texture.
- Turn off the burner. Mound the pasta into the center of the pan and pour the egg and cheese mixture on top. Gently massage the mixture into the top layer of noodles, taking care not to let it touch the hot pan. Stir until the ingredients start to meld together, then widen the swirls to gradually coat all of the noodles in the pan. Add more pasta cooking water if needed.
- Remove from the pan and serve immediately.