A warm and approachable recipe for classic Italian spaghetti carbonara, featuring a creamy egg and cheese sauce with crispy pancetta. An easy yet impressive dish perfect for dinner or brunch.
Ingredients
- 400 g spaghetti
- 150 g pancetta (or guanciale) diced
- 3 large eggs
- 100 g Pecorino Romano cheese finely grated
- 1 tsp black pepper freshly ground
- to taste salt for pasta water
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the spaghetti until al dente according to package instructions.
- While pasta cooks, heat a large skillet over medium heat and cook the pancetta until crisp and browned. Remove from heat.
- In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, grated Pecorino Romano, and freshly ground black pepper until combined.
- Reserve about 1 cup of pasta cooking water, then drain the spaghetti.
- Add the hot spaghetti to the skillet with pancetta and toss to combine.
- Off the heat, slowly pour in the egg and cheese mixture, tossing quickly to coat the pasta without scrambling the eggs. Add reserved pasta water a little at a time to create a creamy sauce.
- Serve immediately with additional cheese and black pepper if desired.
Notes
This recipe uses traditional ingredients and method to achieve an authentic texture and flavor. Avoid reheating in a microwave to prevent scrambled eggs. For a vegetarian version, omit pancetta and add sautéed mushrooms or smoked cheese as a substitute.