A sauce as creamy and rich as this deserves a wine with equal oomph. Therefore, go for a Chardonnay that has spent some time in oak barrels or on lees (look for these terms in the description on the wine bottle).
Carbonara
The simplest recipes are often the most difficult to perfect. While not completely traditional, this recipe makes carbonara simple and minimises the risk of the eggs overcooking. The results are a silky, rich and decadent sauce.
Servings
2 Servings
PREP TIME
10 mins
COOK TIME
15 mins
TOTAL TIME
25 mins
Difficulty
Easy
Wine pairing
Chardonnay
Ingredients
200 g linguine
1 whole egg
3 egg yolks
75 g pancetta slices
⅓ cup grated parmesan or grana padano (plus extra to serve)
⅓ cup cream
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tbsp butter
½ tsp each salt and pepper
1 pinch saffron, about 5-6 threads (optional)
Ingredients
7 oz linguine
1 whole egg
3 egg yolks
2.50 oz pancetta slices
⅓ cup grated parmesan or grana padano (plus extra to serve)
⅓ cup cream
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tbsp butter
½ tsp each salt and pepper
1 pinch saffron, about 5-6 threads (optional)
- Pecorino is the traditional cheese used in carbonara, but outside of Italy I find it can be a bit too bitey or pungent. Whatever cheese you use, be sure to pick a good quality cheese, because it’s a key flavour in the dish.
- The saffron gives the sauce a deeper, richer colour and also imparts subtle flavour. But, you can omit it if you don’t like the flavour or if you don’t have any on hand.
- I prefer linguine for this recipe due to the way the sauce clings to the strands, but you can use any pasta you want. If you use spaghetti, you’ll need to increase the quantity to 125g / 0.25 lb per serving.
- Guanciale (pork cheek) is the traditional meat in carbonara, but I prefer pancetta. You can also substitute bacon.
Directions
1
Combine the sauce ingredients
1. Add the eggs, parmesan, salt and pepper to a small bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside until required or refrigerate if you’re doing this step in advance, but remove from the fridge 30 minutes before needed so it’s not fridge-cold.
2
Cook the pasta
Note: This recipe assumes you’re using dry pasta with a standard cook time of about 7-10 minutes. If you’re using fresh pasta with a shorter cook time, crisp the pancetta first and begin cooking the pasta at the same time as the sauce.
1. Fill a medium sized pot with water and place over high heat. While you’re waiting for the water to boil, make a start on step 3 (crisp the pancetta).
2. When the water comes to a boil, add the pasta and stir with a fork every minute for the first few minutes so that the pasta doesn’t stick together. Then, make a start on the sauce – timing is crucial so the sauce is ready by the time the pasta finishes cooking.
Important: Do not drain the pasta water when the pasta is finished cooking, as the sauce needs some of the pasta water to thicken.
3
Crisp the pancetta
1. Meanwhile, crisp the pancetta in one of the following ways:
- Oven: Line a baking tray with baking paper, and spray it with a little oil. Place pancetta slices on the tray in a single layer, and place under the grill until crisp.
- Frying pan: Place a little oil in a large frying pan and place the pan over medium to high heat. Add pancetta to the pan in a single layer (you may need to cook in batches), and fry until crisp.
2. Put the crisped pancetta aside until serving. If you want to keep it warm for serving, place it in a heatproof bowl in the oven at a low temperature.
4
Combine the pasta and sauce
1. Melt the butter in a frying pan over low to medium heat. Then add the garlic and the saffron and saute for about 2 minutes. If the garlic starts to brown, move to the next step.
2. Add the cream to the pan and stir to combine. Turn the heat to low.
3. Check on the pasta; by now, it should be nearly al dente. You want the pasta to have a little bit of bite left, as it’s going to continue cooking in the sauce.
4. Grab the bowl with the egg mixture and add 3 tablespoons of pasta water to it, 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring straight away between each addition. Then set the bowl aside.
Tip: This step tempers the egg so it won’t scramble as soon as it hits the hot pan later on. Adding the hot water one tablespoon at a time and stirring in between will ensure the eggs don’t start cooking when the hot water is added.
5. Use tongs or a spaghetti spoon to transfer the pasta from the water to the frying pan. Don’t worry about draining the pasta too well – we want some of the pasta water in the sauce to thicken it. Also, don’t drain the pasta water yet in case you need more water for the sauce later on.
6. Ensure the frying pan is on the lowest possible heat, and add the egg mixture. Using tongs, constantly stir the mixture (don’t stop!) until it starts to thicken and coat the pasta.
Tip: Do not stop stirring for more than a moment or the eggs will start scrambling.
7. Assess the sauce – if you want more sauce or if it’s too thick, add up to 1/3 cup additional pasta water.
8. Serve the carbonara in pasta bowls with some extra cracked pepper and extra shaved parmesan. Finally, crumble the crisped pancetta over the top just before serving.
Wine pairing