A recipe from Gemo
Spaghetti alla Carbonara
A traditional Roman pasta classic: hot spaghetti tossed with crisp guanciale, Pecorino Romano, eggs, black pepper, and starchy pasta water to make a glossy sauce without cream. The ideal version uses guanciale and Pecorino Romano; practical substitutions are noted for Georgian-market home cooks.
Method
- 01
Trim any hard rind from the guanciale and cut the meat into short thick strips or small batons. Finely grate the Pecorino Romano, then whisk the 2 whole eggs, 2 extra egg yolks, about 60 g of the cheese, and plenty of black pepper in a large heatproof bowl until smooth.
- 02
Put the guanciale in a dry skillet over medium-low heat. Cook slowly until the fat renders and the pieces are golden and lightly crisp, then turn off the heat. Do not add oil unless using a very lean substitute.
⏱ 8 min
- 03
Bring 3 liters water to a boil, salt it lightly, and cook the 400 g spaghetti until just al dente. Before draining, reserve about a cup of the starchy pasta water.
⏱ 10 min
- 04
Add the hot drained spaghetti to the skillet with the guanciale and toss for a few seconds so the pasta is coated in the rendered fat. Move the skillet off the heat, then quickly add the egg and cheese mixture with a splash of reserved pasta water, tossing constantly until the sauce turns glossy and creamy.
- 05
Adjust the sauce with small splashes of pasta water if it is too thick. Serve immediately with the remaining 20 g Pecorino Romano, more freshly ground black pepper, and the crisp guanciale distributed through the pasta.
Nutrition
