Pasta Carbonara
A rich, creamy pasta dish made without cream — just eggs, cheese, and bacon.
Prep: 5 minutes. Cook: 15 minutes. Difficulty: Medium. Serves 4.
Ingredients
- 400g spaghetti
- 200g bacon or pancetta, diced
- 4 egg yolks
- 50g grated parmesan
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Black pepper
- Salt
Instructions
- Cook spaghetti in salted boiling water. Reserve 1 cup pasta water before draining.
- While pasta cooks, fry bacon in olive oil until crispy.
- Mix egg yolks and parmesan in a bowl.
- Drain pasta and add to the bacon pan (heat off).
- Quickly pour egg mixture over hot pasta. Toss rapidly.
- Add pasta water a little at a time to create a creamy sauce.
- Season with black pepper. Serve immediately.
Tips for Helpers
- The pan must be off the heat when adding eggs — or they will scramble.
- Toss quickly and continuously.
- The residual heat cooks the eggs into a cream.
- Serve immediately — carbonara doesn't reheat well.
Ingredient Substitutions
- Ham can replace bacon.
- Any hard cheese works.
- Whole eggs can replace yolks for a lighter version.