Pasta Carbonara is a simple dish with few ingredients, yet the egg based sauce takes some art and skill to perfect into a silky and creamy sauce. Many restaurants use butter as the main part of the sauce, while tasty, can really overload the arteries. Not that egg yolks are much helathier, but this recipe does not make me feel like I ate a stick of butter. The use of a smoked pancetta vs.bacon really adds depth and complexity. Finally, a poached egg would really elevate this taste and aestetic of the dish.

Simple Carbonara

Ingredients

4 servings

3Tbsp. kosher salt, plus more

4oz. guanciale (salt-cured pork jowl), pancetta (Italian bacon), or bacon

2oz. Parmesan

4large egg yolks

2large eggsFreshly ground black pepper

2Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

1lb. spaghetti, bucatini, or rigatoni

Steps

Step 1 – Heat 6 qt. water in a large pot over high. When water starts to steam, add 3 Tbsp. salt and cover pot with a lid (this will bring water to a boil faster).

Step 2 – While you are waiting on the water, do a little prep. Remove 4 oz. guanciale from packaging and cut into about 1x¼” strips. Finely grate 2 oz. cheese and set aside one-quarter of cheese for later.

Step 3 – Whisk 4 egg yolks and 2 whole eggs in a medium bowl until no streaks remain, then stir in remaining grated cheese. Add several cranks of pepper and set aside.

Step 4 – Working next to pot, heat 2 Tbsp. oil in a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot over medium. Add guanciale and cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp around the edges, 7–10 minutes.

Step 5 – Remove pot from heat. Using a wooden spoon, fish out guanciale and transfer to a small bowl. Pour fat into a heatproof measuring cup, then add back about 3 Tbsp. to pot. Discard any remaining fat.

Step 6 – Cook 1 lb. pasta in boiling water, stirring occasionally, 2 minutes shy of package instructions. Just before pasta is finished, scoop out 1¾ cups pasta cooking liquid with same heatproof measuring cup.

Step 7 – Add 1 cup reserved pasta cooking liquid to Dutch oven and bring to a boil over medium-high. Drain pasta in a colander, then transfer to Dutch oven.

Step 8 – Cook pasta, stirring constantly and vigorously, until al dente and water is reduced by about half, about 2 minutes. Remove pot from heat.

Step 9 – Whisk ¼ cup pasta cooking liquid into reserved egg mixture, then very slowly stream into Dutch oven, stirring constantly, until cheese is melted and egg is thickened to form a glossy sauce. Season with salt, if needed. Thin sauce with remaining ½ cup pasta cooking liquid, adding a tablespoonful at a time, until it’s the consistency of heavy cream (you most likely won’t use all of it).

Step 10 – Mix in guanciale and divide pasta among bowls. Top with pepper and reserved cheese.