PERFECT SPAGHETTI CARBONARA...the easy way

Spaghetti Carbonara

Ingredients

• ½ lb (about 225 g) spaghetti; double the recipe for more servings
• Pancetta, amount not specified; guanciale is the traditional option
• ½ cup grated Parmesan
• About ¼ cup grated Pecorino Romano
• 4 egg yolks
• Black pepper, to taste
• Pasta water, as needed
• Salt for the pasta water, using less than usual

Equipment and Preparation

You’ll need a pot for the pasta, a large bowl that can sit over the pot without touching or overflowing the water, a pan, a whisk, and a grater. A thermometer is optional for checking the egg mixture.

Use a little less water than usual so the pasta water’s starch is more concentrated. Keep the water level low enough that the bowl won’t overflow.

Cut the pancetta into small, roughly fingernail-sized cubes. Trim off any dried exterior first. Avoid pieces that are too small, since they’ll shrink, or too large to eat comfortably.

Method

1. Render the pancetta: Place it in a cold pan and cook slowly until the fat has rendered, the outside is crisp, and the middle remains soft. Set it aside and let the fat cool to room temperature; according to the presenter, this helps thicken the sauce.
2. Prepare the egg mixture: In the large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, Parmesan, Pecorino, and black pepper.
3. Gently heat the sauce: Set the bowl over hot, non-boiling pasta water—about 90°C (195°F), or roughly 200°F as the presenter describes it. Whisk until the mixture thickens into a sauce. A thermometer is optional; the target temperature given for the mixture is about 160°F. Remove the bowl from the heat.
4. Cook the pasta: Cook the spaghetti in the same water according to the package instructions for al dente. Use less salt than usual because the cheese and pancetta are salty.
5. Combine: Transfer the cooked pasta directly into the egg-and-cheese mixture. Set the bowl back over the hot water and mix until creamy and thick.
6. Finish the sauce: Add pasta water a little at a time, followed by some of the cooled pancetta fat. Mix to emulsify and thicken the sauce, then stir in the pancetta.

Tips and Notes

• Keep the water below a boil while heating the egg mixture. The bain-marie provides gentle heat and helps prevent the eggs from scrambling.
• Use less Pecorino than Parmesan to balance Pecorino’s stronger saltiness.
• The presenter prefers pancetta because it’s easier to find locally and lets him control the dice; guanciale is the traditional choice.
• The dish is made without cream or butter.

Presenter and Reference

The video is from NOT ANOTHER COOKING SHOW. The presenter says he learned this bain-marie technique from Roman chef Luciano Monosilio, known as the “King of Carbonara.”