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Authentic Spaghetti alla Carbonara – no cream, just 4 ingredients
In Italian food

Authentic Spaghetti alla Carbonara – no cream, just 4 ingredients


I made a traditional Roman Carbonara tonight.
No cream, no garlic, no onions – just the real deal.

Ingredients (2 servings)

  • 200g spaghetti
  • 120g guanciale
  • 2 egg yolks + 1 whole egg
  • 60g Pecorino Romano (finely grated)
  • Freshly cracked black pepper
  • Salt (for pasta water)

Method

  1. Bring salted water to a boil and cook the spaghetti al dente.
  2. Cut guanciale into small strips and render slowly in a pan until crispy and golden. No oil needed.
  3. In a bowl, mix egg yolks + whole egg + grated Pecorino + plenty of black pepper.
  4. Reserve some pasta water.
  5. Combine hot pasta with guanciale (off heat).
  6. Add egg mixture and stir quickly. Use a little pasta water to create a silky emulsion.
  7. Serve immediately with extra Pecorino and black pepper.

Creamy without cream – that’s the magic.

by onlynoraworld

8 Comments

  3. Beginning_Pear_1263

    Six ingredients, but who’s counting

  4. agmanning

    That little egg with that much pasta is why this is so dry.

  5. Slashovia

    Remember to pasteurise the eggs otherwise you take the risk to contract salmonella

  6. GenLodA

    Looks dry but nevertheless I’d 100% smash. I’m Italian and don’t think that all of our carbonaras are perfect lol

  7. Oscaruzzo

    I’m sure it tastes awesome, but it looks a bit dry.

  8. polepolemuzungu

    You made one mistake. The egg doesn’t go into the pan with hot pasta and guanciale. You take it out and wait one minute. The egg shall not cook. That’s why it’s dry. Also pecorino goes on top at the end.