Recipe: Spaghetti alla carbonara, how to make the most delicious version
Carbonara is the ultimate quick meal when you have (virtually) nothing in the house and one that everyone enjoys. It is also the pasta dish that perhaps causes the most arguments, because purists absolutely cannot tolerate any other version than the classic with egg, pecorino, black pepper and guanciale. Guanciale is Italian cured pork jowl that is less fatty than pancetta, which is made from pork belly. It is almost impossible to find in the Netherlands, so we won’t get angry if you use pancetta. Cubes of breakfast bacon are really out of the question, though.
How to make the most delicious spaghetti alla carbonara
- Bring a large pan of water to the boil. Cut the guanciale or pancetta into small cubes. Heat a frying pan over medium-high heat and fry them until crisp. In principle, the bacon fat is enough to fry them in their own fat. If not, add the olive oil. Turn off the heat and remove the pan from the hob.
- Once the water boils, season it with salt. Cook the spaghetti al dente according to the instructions on the package. Meanwhile, grate the pecorino and mix it with the eggs and black pepper.
- Drain the pasta and add it to the pan with the bacon; stir for about 10 seconds. This allows the pasta to cool slightly. Add the egg mixture and quickly stir it through the pasta until a smooth sauce forms. Serve immediately.
Tips
- The recipe is easy to adjust for more or fewer people. Always use 1 egg per person plus one extra egg.
- Bacon and cheese are salty, and you also cook the pasta in salted water. Therefore, you do not need to season the dish with salt.
- It is important not only to turn off the heat, but also to remove the pan from the hob. It stays hot for quite a while and may cause the egg to set too quickly when you add it to the pan.
Wine tip: Masca del Tacco l’Uetta Fiano Puglia
The first thing that stands out is the surprisingly round-bellied bottle. It immediately creates a summery feeling! The wine also comes from a wonderfully warm region: Puglia, the heel of the Italian boot. Fun fact: the name Puglia comes from the Latin apluvia, meaning ‘lack of rain’. It is therefore not only (very) warm here, but also very dry. And that produces ripe, rich wines, such as this intense wine bursting with seductive aromas (honey, peach). A delicious match for the carbonara, which with its rich and creamy flavour certainly needs a worthy sparring partner. The wine is available from Wijnkring and costs € 14,50.
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