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Carbonara, a fantastic pasta dish, in a white plate, and a fork.
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Carbonara

The creamiest spaghetti carbonara, full of rich flavor, without being too heavy or overwhelming.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time35 minutes
Course: Main
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: carbonara, spaghetti
Servings: 4
Calories: 814kcal

Ingredients

  • 3 large eggs
  • 2 ounces Pecorino Cheese grated (about 1 cup)
  • 2 tablespoons heavy cream
  • ½ pound thick cut bacon cut into ½ inch pieces
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  • ½ cup dry white wine
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 1 pound spaghetti

Instructions

  • On the stove top, on high heat, bring 4 quarts of water to boil in a large pot for the pasta.
  • In a medium sized bowl, add eggs, Pecorino Romano, and cream then whisk it together and set aside.
  • Meanwhile, cook the bacon pieces in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 8 minutes. Transfer bacon to a small bowl with a slotted spoon.
  • Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of bacon fat. Add garlic and pepper to the skillet and cook over medium heat until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Then remove from heat, and slowly whisk the garlic mixture into the egg mixture. Set aside.
  • 3: Using the same skillet, add the wine to the skillet and simmer over medium heat, scraping the bottom of the pan to remove browned bits. Cook for about 5 minutes, until reduced by half. Then slowly whisk the wine mixture into the egg mixture. Set aside.
  • Meanwhile, add the salt and the pasta to the boiling water. Cook, stirring often, until pasta is al dente.
  • Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta and return it to the pot. Immediately pour the egg mixture over the pasta and toss it to combine. While tossing, add ½ cup of the reserved cooking water.
  • Add the bacon and using the remaining cooking water, thin the sauce as necessary. Serve immediately.

Notes

Ronzoni Spaghetti is a great choice for brand of pasta to use with this recipe. Skip the cheap stuff!
Curdled eggs will ruin your carbonara. To prevent this from happening, be sure to whisk it constantly when adding the hot ingredients to the egg mixture.
Use Pecorino Romano, you want a sharply flavored sheep’s milk cheese, so do not make a substitution here.
Use fresh ground black pepper. The pre-ground pepper can give a dusty flavor. Add your fresh ground pepper to the bacon fat for the best flavor.

Nutrition

Calories: 814kcal | Carbohydrates: 88g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 185mg | Sodium: 2348mg | Potassium: 466mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 371IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 211mg | Iron: 3mg