It was raining in Rome. I was lost in Trastevere, a maze of cobblestone streets, with no umbrella and an empty stomach.I ducked into a tiny trattoria with only six tables. No menu in English. An old lady, probably the owner’s mother, saw me shivering and pointed at a steaming plate at the next table. « Carbonara vera, » she said. True Carbonara.When it arrived, I was confused. No cream. No mushrooms. Just glossy spaghetti, black pepper, and crispy little pieces of pork. The magic was in the sauce – just egg yolk, Pecorino cheese, and pasta water, whisked into a cream without any cream at all.She leaned over and whispered, « The secret is not to cook the egg. You just let the heat of the pasta do it. »I have been making it that way ever since. This is not just pasta. This is Rome on a plate
INGREDIENTS
(for 2 people) —200g Spaghetti100g Guanciale (or pancetta)2 large egg yolks + 1 whole egg50g Pecorino Romano cheese, gratedFreshly ground black pepperSalt
METHOD
Put a large pot of salted water to boil and cook the spaghetti al dente.While pasta cooks, cut the guanciale into small cubes and fry it slowly in a pan until crispy. No oil needed.In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks, whole egg, grated Pecorino, and a lot of black pepper.When pasta is ready, save one cup of pasta water. Drain the pasta and add it directly to the pan with the guanciale. Remove from heat.Quickly pour the egg and cheese mixture over the hot pasta and mix vigorously. Add a little pasta water until it becomes creamy. The heat of the pasta will cook the eggs gently.Serve immediately with extra Pecorino and pepper.
My Secret Tip:
Never ever add cream! And never pour the eggs on direct fire, or you will get scrambled eggs. Take the pan off the heat first.What about you? Have you ever tasted a real Carbonara? What is the one pasta dish that reminds you of travel? Tell me in the comments below – I read every one.
What about you? Have you ever tasted a real Carbonara? What is the one pasta dish that reminds you of travel? Tell me in the comments below – I read every one.P.S. Next stop on my journey: After the creamy streets of Rome, I craved something warm and slow-cooked to survive a cold winter. That craving led me straight to Hungary, to a bubbling pot of Goulash. [Read Chapter 2: The Soul-Warming Hungarian Goulash →