Let's see how a carbonara looks like

Me that I am living abroad, I can really see how Italian cooking is daily “misunderstood” or sometimes even mistreated. There are few recepies moreover which is almost impossible to find prepared in a reasonable way. A very emblematic one is the “carbonara sauce”.

This sauce is so easily and commonly prepared in italy, but at the same time so badly approached abroad that I have never saw anything served as per carbonara looking similar to what it should be.

I have to admit that also in Italy there are different approaches to this preparation, more or less close to the tradition, involving different ingredients, like the pecorino cheese instead of the parmesan or the use of the yolk rather than the whole egg.

I then want to state very clearly that I do not claim to explain you here the authentic and original carbonara. But never the less, this is a very popular version, the same that my mom has always done and that for sure it is much closer to the original recipe than all the versions that I saw around the world with my eyes so far!

The main ingredient for the carbonara is the eggs which are served raw, so be sure that they are properly fresh. If you want to prepare for more than 2 calculate like following: 1 egg per person +1 egg for the bowl. 

For 2

2 eggs (for me always fresh bio eggs)

80g bacon, speck or guanciale (whatever cold meat from pork, expect salami or sausage you are able to find where you live) cut in a thick single slice

50g parmesan

250g spaghetti

Salt

Pepper

Start heating the salted water and when boiling add the pasta and cook according time and procedure on the package.

Cut the meat in small cubes (about 0,5-1 cm) and roast it at medium-high heat until it starts to get brown.

 

Place the eggs in a big bowl (where you will serve the noodles) with a pinch of salt and beat shortly with a fork (approximately 30 seconds) until you have a foam.

Add the grated cheese and mix gently. Now add about 2 spoons of noodles cooking water and mix again.

Collect a couple of tbs of the fat released by the meat, add it to the cream and beat again shortly with the fork.

Finally add the meat and pepper to taste, but keep in mind that in this recipe the pepper is a strong taste so add generously (better freshly grinded one).

Strain the pasta and blend with the sauce