Authentic Carbonara is an easy Italian pasta recipe using eggs, cheese and bacon. This is an easy carbonara recipe that any home cook can feel confident in making!
In a large pot, boil enough water for pasta. When it comes to a rolling boil, add 1 tablespoon coarse kosher salt.
Cook pasta according to package directions or al dente, or even 1 minute less.
When pasta is done, ladle out about 1 cup of starchy boiling water to a heat safe measuring cup. Drain pasta and set aside.
In a large skillet, cooking bacon or pancetta over medium heat. Use a skillet that might seem too large for this task because you will be using the same one to toss your pasta later, so it needs to be large enough to accomodate 1 pound of cooked pasta.
Cook bacon until cooked, but not crispy. Remove bacon to a paper towel lined plate, but reserve rendered bacon grease.
Eyeballing it, reserve about 2 tablespoons of bacon fat, discarding the rest. Set skillet aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk 2 whole eggs with 4 egg yolks. After whisked, combine with pecorino romano cheese and about 2 tablespoons reserved pasta water. Set aside.
Add pasta to the skillet and toss well with bacon fat.
Remove from heat (or just turn off burner) and try to pile pasta in the center. Using tongs, slowly pour the egg mixture over the hot pasta, tossing fast to heat the sauce over the pasta.
Toss for 2 minutes, pasta starch will help sauce thicken, along with residual heat. Add cooked bacon back to the mix.
If your sauce is too watery or loose, add more cheese. If you sauce is too thick and clumpy, slowly add additional pasta water. You may not use all of the pasta water.
Transfer to serving dishes and season with freshly ground pepper, Maldon sea salt and additional cheese. Serve immediately.
If you've tried this recipe, come back and let us know how it was in the comments or ratings.
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Notes
What if I forgot to reserve some of the pasta water? I can't tell you how many times I've done this. My husband hears the curse word from the kitchen and he doesn't even ask, instead yelling in "forgot to save some water!" I even put the measuring cup with a ladle right by the cooktop, still I fail. So I have also become really good and finding alternate solutions. The easiest is just a small amount of cornstarch in water. About 1 tablespoon for 1 cup of water. Afterall, pasta water is just starchy water.