Real Spaghetti Carbonara

Name: Real Spaghetti Carbonara
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 2
Ingredients: 200 g spaghettoni; 100 g guanciale (or pancetta can be used); 2 large eggs (use only the yolks); 50 g Parmesan cheese (or Pecorino cheese, grated); to taste g black pepper; to taste g salt (optional, as guanciale is salty); 1 tbsp olive oil (for cooking guanciale)

JJamie OliverYouTube20 minutesserves 2

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Original video by Jamie Oliver on YouTube5:12

About this recipe

Spaghetti Carbonara is a classic Italian dish known for its creamy texture and rich flavors, but many people get it wrong. In this video, Antonio Carluccio shares his authentic take on the dish, emphasizing simplicity and quality ingredients. This version uses guanciale, egg yolks, and cheese to create a luscious sauce without any cream, staying true to traditional methods.

With just a few key ingredients and a straightforward technique, you can whip up a delicious carbonara in under 20 minutes. Antonio's approach ensures that the pasta is perfectly coated in a creamy sauce, making it a must-try for any pasta lover.

Ingredient notes

200g of spaghettoni (the larger size of spaghetti) is used, but you can substitute with regular spaghetti if needed.
100g of guanciale is preferred, but pancetta can be used as an alternative.
Use only the yolks from 2 large eggs for the sauce.
50g of grated Parmesan cheese is recommended, but Pecorino cheese can also be used.

Tips from Jamie Oliver's video

Add salt to the boiling water at a ratio of 10g per liter, but be cautious with additional salt since guanciale is already salty.
Do not add oil to the pasta water; just stir occasionally while cooking.
Remove the pan from heat before adding the egg mixture to prevent scrambling the eggs; the residual heat will cook the eggs gently and create a creamy sauce.
If the sauce is too thick, add a little reserved pasta water to reach your desired consistency.

No life story here — the video and the recipe are the whole point. All credit to Jamie Oliver: watch the original on YouTube.

The recipe

Serves 2 servingsTime 20 minutes

Ingredients

200 g spaghettoni
100 g guanciale — or pancetta can be used
2 large eggs — use only the yolks
50 g Parmesan cheese — or Pecorino cheese, grated
to taste g black pepper
to taste g salt — optional, as guanciale is salty
1 tbsp olive oil — for cooking guanciale

Steps

1
Boil water in a large pot and add salt at a ratio of 10g per liter.
2
Add 200g of spaghettoni to the boiling water and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3
While the pasta is cooking, cut 100g of guanciale into chunks.
4
In a pan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil and add the guanciale to cook until crispy.
5
In a bowl, beat 2 egg yolks and mix in 50g of grated Parmesan cheese and a generous amount of black pepper.
6
Once the pasta is cooked, reserve some pasta water and drain the rest.
7
Add the drained pasta to the pan with guanciale, mixing well to combine.
8
Remove the pan from heat and quickly add the egg mixture, stirring to create a creamy sauce without scrambling the eggs.
9
If the sauce is too thick, add a little reserved pasta water to reach desired consistency.
10
Serve immediately, garnished with extra cheese and black pepper.