Pasta carbonara is a traditional Italian pasta from Rome in Italy. In fact, this pasta is made with egg yolk and hard cheese such as Parmigiano-Reggiano or Pecorino Romano, besides cured pork, mainly guanciale, preferably pancetta and black pepper.
Perhaps Pasta carbonara may sound easy to make because it doesn’t require too many ingredients. However, it is a tricky process, and one of them is not to cook the eggs. In other words, the eggs make the sauce, and if you cook it, your sauce becomes scrambled eggs. Therefore, I wrote this post for you, regardless of whether you want to make a carbonara or whether to eat it in a restaurant. In short, here you will find these two options.
Cheese
Nowadays, different kinds of cheese are used to make pasta carbonara outside of Italy. Therefore, it causes a change in the natural flavours of this fantastic dish.
In fact, cheese plays an essential role in making the pasta carbonara. Due to this, the quality of the cheese stands out in the flavours of the pasta. Certainly, to eat an authentic carbonara, it must be in Rome or where traditional ingredients from Italy are used.
As much as Parmigiano and Pecorino are expensive cheeses if you are looking for high-quality. However, it is always possible to find cheaper options, but it might change the natural flavours, at least how well you cook.
Meat
Another critical ingredient is the meat, such as guanciale or pancetta. Indeed, it might put your carbonara to the next level.
Also, both types of meat have a different range of quality. In other words, much better meat certainly has a higher cost and the opposite, besides guanciale, is more difficult to find than pancetta.
Usually, pancetta can be found in supermarkets instead of guanciale, often in specialised places in cured meat.
Eggs
Certainly, egg is the more accessible and cheaper ingredient, but without it, the pasta carbonara can not be made. By the way, do not think to put cream if you do not want to ruin an incredible pasta.
Pasta Carbonara can be made at home
In fact, you can even make a carbonara following these steps.
Ingredients
- 3 egg yolks
- 50 grams of parmesan cheese
- 150 grams of Spaghetti
- A handful of pancetta
- A pinch of black pepper or as you like
- Olive oil
Method
- First of all get 3 eggs yolk and mixed with grated parmesan cheese in a bowl, then add black peppers and mix again
- Cut in dice the pancetta without skin surely
- Start to get ready with the pasta, spaghetti is a good choice, cook around 7 minutes if you like al dente, keep some of the hot water
- Now it is time to cook, fry the pancetta in a pan with olive oil, until is nice and crispy
- Then add the spaghetti already cook into the pan and start to mix with the crispy pancetta
- Pour the bowl with the mixed into the pan and start to flipped, add some hot water which was used to cook the pasta
- Be aware not to cook the egg. Put it aside from time to time. It must be creamy.
Especially, in pasta carbonara, I do not like to put garlic. Although you are free to add whatever you like.
Pasta Carbonara at Le Grotte Restaurant
It is an elegant Italian restaurant located in the historical centre of Rome. Besides, count on traditional Italian dishes with great flavours. Indeed, here is the place where I ate the pasta Carbonara. As a result, the best pasta that I have ever eaten, along with the spaghetti with clams in Naples.
Read more about the Spaghetti with Clams Neapolitan Cuisine
Pasta Carbonara
With egg yolk, guanciale and sheep cheese. In other words, creamy pasta, rich in flavours and with a fantastic gold colour, is certainly optimal quality. Indeed, this is the best way to realise that you are eating a good carbonara. Because the ingredients and this colour do not fail, you must try it, but you are on the right track.
Other restaurants that you might like
Location Rome, Italy
Key Information
Restaurant Le Grotte
Qualification: 4,7/5,0 Grateful/ Excellent
Price: Average per person $$ 15 EUR
Contact: +39 06 678 4117
Website: No working
Instagram: le_grotte_roma
Address: Via della Vite, 37, 00187 Roma RM, Italy
Lunch: Monday to Sunday from 12:00 to 16:30
Dinner: Monday to Sunday from 17:00 to 22:30
The best carbonara I’ve ever had — one of the best meals — was at Mezza Luna in Orvieto.
I will keep in my next travel to Italy