avg —
Carbonara Pasta with Bacon and Cream
Instructions
Prepare all the ingredients on a clean work surface as per the list above. Having everything measured out in advance speeds up the actual cooking step considerably.
To make a properly authentic carbonara pasta, prepare good-quality hard wheat spaghetti from the Italian section of the shop. Better-quality pasta produces noticeably better finished texture.
The dish cooks remarkably quickly, so first put a large pot of water on the stove, bring it to a rolling boil, add a generous pinch of salt, and send the spaghetti to cook in the salted water. Boil the pasta until al dente, that is, slightly undercook it for a properly toothsome finished texture.
While the spaghetti is boiling away, prepare the other ingredients. Cut the bacon into thin slices first, and then chop those slices into short strips. The pieces should not be too small, so the bacon remains slightly soft and does not completely render down to crispy bits during the brief frying step.
The garlic can be pressed through a garlic press, but it is genuinely better to chop it finely with a sharp knife for the best texture in the finished dish.
Finely chop the fresh parsley with a sharp knife. Smaller pieces release more aromatic flavour into the finished sauce.
Grate the hard Parmesan cheese on the fine side of a box grater. Freshly grated cheese melts more evenly into the sauce than pre-grated supermarket cheese.
Prepare the ingredients for the creamy egg mixture in a separate medium mixing bowl ready for the next step.
Place the egg yolks and the heavy cream together in the separate bowl and mix them gently with a balloon whisk. Add salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste at this stage.
Put a large frying pan on the stove, add the chopped bacon. Fry over medium heat until properly golden brown across the surface. Monitor the bacon carefully to ensure that it remains slightly soft in the middle, and try not to overcook it down to dry crispy crumbs.
By this time, the spaghetti should already be properly cooked al dente, drain it carefully into a colander.
Add the chopped garlic to the bacon in the pan. Let the garlic "unfold" and "combine" with the bacon for a couple of minutes total, then add the chopped parsley, and immediately turn off the heat under the pan. Add the drained spaghetti to the pan with the bacon, mix them gently together. Both the bacon and the spaghetti should still be very hot at this point; at this critical moment, it is essential to add the creamy egg mixture and mix the whole pan well. While we stir the pasta vigorously, the cream will properly "set," and the yolks will warm up gently and cook through into a beautifully silky sauce.
The carbonara pasta with bacon and cream is now properly ready to serve. Transfer the finished dish to a warm serving plate, additionally season with the grated Parmesan cheese and a final sprinkle of fresh chopped herbs. Serve straight to the table while still piping hot.
Tips
- 1
Reserve a small cup of the starchy pasta cooking water before draining the spaghetti, since this seasoned starchy water can be added gradually to the finished pan to loosen the sauce to the proper silky consistency if it seems too thick. The reserved starchy water also helps the sauce cling beautifully to each strand of pasta. Always reserve more pasta water than you think you will need, since unused water can simply be discarded after serving.
- 2
Add the egg-cream mixture only after removing the pan completely from the heat to prevent the eggs from scrambling into unpleasant clumps in the finished sauce. To pair this beautifully classic Italian pasta dish with another properly authentic Italian preparation for a complete dinner menu, try our beautifully fresh classic minestrone soup Italian vegetable soup as a perfect light starter to serve before the main pasta course.
- 3
Use freshly grated Parmesan cheese rather than pre-grated supermarket cheese, since freshly grated cheese melts more evenly into the warm sauce and produces a noticeably better finished texture. The brief extra moment of grating fresh cheese genuinely matters for the most authentic Italian flavour profile in the finished dish. Always grate the cheese just before using for maximum freshness and the best melting properties.
- 4
Serve the carbonara pasta immediately while still piping hot, since the sauce thickens and stiffens noticeably as the dish cools on the plate. For another properly classic Italian-cuisine recipe to add variety to your weekly menu, try our beautifully indulgent classic Bolognese pasta as a heartier tomato-based pasta alternative for properly satisfying weekend dinners.
FAQ
Can I use pancetta or guanciale instead of bacon? +
Yes, both Italian pancetta and the more traditional guanciale (cured pork jowl) work absolutely brilliantly as authentic substitutes for regular bacon in this carbonara recipe. Guanciale is the most properly traditional Italian choice and produces the richest, most authentic finished flavour profile of all three options. Pancetta provides a slightly milder finished result that is closer to regular bacon. Use the same quantity as the bacon in the recipe and prepare the same way for absolutely delicious results in the finished dish at the table.
Why does my carbonara sauce scramble? +
Scrambled carbonara sauce usually means the pan was too hot when the egg mixture was added, or the egg mixture was added too quickly without proper stirring. Always remove the pan completely from the heat before adding the egg-cream mixture, and stir the contents continuously and vigorously while incorporating the eggs to keep them moving and prevent any clumping. The residual heat in the pan and the hot pasta should gently cook the eggs into a beautifully silky sauce rather than into scrambled curds.
How long does this dish keep? +
Carbonara pasta is genuinely best eaten immediately when freshly prepared, since the creamy egg-based sauce does not reheat well at all. Leftover portions can be refrigerated covered tightly for up to one day for emergency lunches, but the texture will not be quite the same as the freshly made version. Reheat gently in a covered pan over very low heat with a small splash of cream or milk to loosen the sauce; avoid the microwave entirely, since high microwave heat scrambles the delicate eggs unpleasantly.
Can I make a vegetarian version? +
Absolutely. Skip the bacon entirely and substitute with sautéed mushrooms (porcini, chestnut or button mushrooms all work beautifully), grilled zucchini ribbons, sun-dried tomatoes or even crispy fried capers for a similar savoury depth in the finished dish. Sautée the chosen vegetable substitute with the chopped garlic in good olive oil instead of bacon fat, then proceed with the rest of the recipe exactly as written. The vegetarian version produces a beautifully satisfying finished pasta that even committed meat-eaters will properly enjoy.
- Comment
or post as a guest
Be the first to comment.
