Roman Style Carbonara

The Ultimate Guanciale Recipe: A Roman Adventure

This isn't just any pasta recipe; it's a journey to the heart of Rome. We're going to create a creamy, peppery, and incredibly satisfying dish with just a few key ingredients. The secret? Patience and a little bit of pasta magic.

Serves 2, generously - If you’ve not tackled a carbonara before, I recommend you read through the recipe thoroughly and the pro tips before starting.

Roman Style Carbonara - Image from Pinterest

INGREDIENTS

• 300g pasta - spaghettoni is often the pasta of choice for carbonara, but spaghetti, bucatini or rigatoni will suffice. If using rigatoni I suggest 100g per person

• 100g Small Goodness's guanciale

• 2 whole eggs and 3 egg yolks (1 whole and 1 yolk pp, plus one for the pot for extra creamy goodness)

• 150g Pecorino Romano - very finely grated

• Lots of ground black pepper - quantities will be divulged in the method notes

Prep for Greatness

First, grab your guanciale, the star of the show. Carefully trim away the hard skin, then slice it into thick, 1 cm strips. Chop those strips into beautiful little cubes. Set them aside—they've got a big role to play.

Meanwhile, get a large pot of water boiling for your pasta. Don't forget to season it generously with salt.

Small Goodness Guanciale

Rendering the Fat, Building the Flavour

This is where the magic begins. Place those cubes of guanciale into a cold pan. Resist the urge to add any oil; the guanciale will create its delicious own.

Turn the heat to a gentle low. This is the most crucial step! You want the fat to slowly render out and the guanciale to get beautifully crisp, not rushed and burnt.

While the guanciale is sizzling away, grab a bowl. Whisk together your eggs (both whole and yolks) and a generous amount of grated pecorino. Now, for the pepper—be bold! Add a heap of freshly cracked black pepper. We're talking a solid half-tablespoon, or more if you're a pepper lover. Mix it all up and set it aside.

When your guanciale is perfectly golden and crispy, turn off the heat. Use a slotted spoon to scoop out the crispy bits and place them on a plate, but leave that precious fat in the pan!

The Pasta and the Grand Finale

Now it's time for the pasta. Cook it in the boiling water for about a minute less than the package instructions suggest—we want it just shy of al dente.

Using tongs, or a pasta scoop, transfer the pasta directly into the pan with the glorious guanciale fat. Don't worry about a little pasta water coming along for the ride; it's a good thing! Turn the heat back on, but keep it on the lowest setting possible. Toss the pasta gently in the fat, letting it soak up all that flavour as it finishes cooking.

Now for the showstopper! In a separate bowl, add a quarter to a third of a cup of the hot pasta water to your egg-and-cheese mixture. Stir it until it becomes a smooth, creamy liquid—like pouring cream.

Quickly take the pan with the pasta and fat off the heat completely. Pour in your creamy egg mixture and stir, toss, and mix continuously. The residual heat from the pasta and pan will begin to cook the egg and cheese into a luxurious, beautiful sauce known as a crema. It should start to thicken slightly and coat every strand of pasta.

At this point, if you feel it's not quite thick enough, you can put the pan back on the lowest heat, but keep stirring and moving constantly! It's all about motion to prevent the eggs from scrambling.

Stir the reserved crispy guanciale back into the pasta, and serve immediately! Garnish with extra black pepper and a dusting of pecorino. Enjoy your Roman masterpiece!

Carbonara: Pro-Tips & Kitchen Secrets

Think of these as the secret scrolls to your successful carbonara. A little wisdom can go a long way in turning a good carbonara into a legendary one!

• Going Solo? If you're whipping this up for one, remember the golden ratio: one whole egg and one yolk. No need to add an extra yolk for the sauce—this is the perfect balance for a single serving.

• Guanciale vs. Pancetta. We're using guanciale, which is a cured meat from a pork jowl. It's rich, fatty, and provides an unmatched flavor. If you can find it at Barrels & Stills Hawthorne. However, if we are out, don't fret. Pancetta is a perfectly fine substitute and will still give you a delicious result.

• Get Grating! When it comes to the cheese, fineness is your friend. Grate your cheese as finely as possible—I'm talking a powder-like consistency. This is key to getting that smooth, silky sauce without any stringy, melted cheese bits.

• The Tempered Egg Trick. Ever heard of tempering? We're doing a version of that here! Adding a bit of hot pasta water to your egg mixture before it hits the pan is your secret weapon. It gently warms the eggs, preventing them from "shocking" and scrambling when they meet the heat of the pasta. This simple step is your insurance policy for a perfectly creamy sauce.

• Emulsion is Our Goal. At its core, carbonara is a beautiful emulsion—a delicate dance of fat, water, and heat. My favorite method for success is to add a little extra pasta water to the eggs to create a loose, cream-like consistency. This gives you time to build that luscious crema on the stovetop. Remember: you can always thicken a sauce, but you can't fix a scrambled one!

• Don't Toss That Water! Always keep some of your starchy pasta water on the side. If your sauce gets a little too thick, a splash of this liquid gold is all you need to bring it back to life.

• Serve It Now! Carbonara is a dish that waits for no one. It's at its best the moment it's finished, as the sauce will continue to thicken as it cools. If you're serving family-style, aim for a sauce that's still a touch too thin right before serving. This will ensure you have a perfect, creamy consistency when it hits the table.