Dirty Carbonara Recipes

THE BEST CARBONARA

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat.
• Whisk together the eggs, yolks, Parmesan, Pecorino, pepper and butter if using in a large bowl until well combined.
• Add the pasta and cook as the label directs. Reserve 1 cup cooking water, then drain the pasta.
• Meanwhile, cook the pancetta in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp, about 8 minutes. Add the spaghetti and half the reserved pasta cooking water to the skillet and toss to combine.
• Add the egg mixture and toss to coat. Cook, tossing continuously to avoid scrambling the eggs, until the sauce is creamy, thinning it with the remaining pasta water if it becomes too thick (it should be saucy but not watery), about 1 minute.
• Divide the pasta among plates and sprinkle with more grated Parmesan.

QUICK CARBONARA

Steps:

• Cook spaghetti according to package directions; drain., In a large skillet, heat butter and oil over medium heat; saute garlic 1 minute. Stir in ham and bacon; heat through. Add spaghetti and parsley; toss to combine., Remove from heat. Stir in olives and cheese.

TRADITIONAL ITALIAN SPAGHETTI CARBONARA

Steps:

• Cut the guanciale into small pieces then simmer in a frying pan over medium heat for about 2 or 3 minutes. When ready, turn off the heat, cover with a lid and set aside.
• Whisk grated Pecorino Romano with eggs. Add a little bit of ground black pepper. Stir quickly until you get a creamy sauce and set aside.
• Cook the spaghetti al dente in plenty of salted water, following the cooking time you find on the pasta packaging.
• With the help of a spaghetti spoon, drain when they are ready. Then put them in the frying pan, OVER HIGH HEAT, to season them properly with the fat of the guanciale.
• When the spaghetti and guanciale are sizzling in the pan, turn off the heat. Now quickly add the eggs and pecorino cream and stir. Pay attention to the consistency, which must be creamy, but not fluid. If you notice that your spaghetti carbonara is too liquid, add some grated pecorino. On the other hand, if you see that they are too sticky and dense, add 1 or 2 tablespoons of cooking water.
• With the help of a ladle and a fork, create a pasta nest and place it on a plate. Add guanciale (the one left in the pan), freshly grounded black pepper and grated pecorino Romano cheese to taste.

EASY CARBONARA

Steps:

• Cook the pasta in a pan of boiling salted water according to the packet instructions.
• Slice the bacon and place in a non-stick frying pan on a medium heat with half a tablespoon of olive oil and a really good pinch of black pepper. Leave it to get super-golden and crispy, tossing occasionally, then turn off the heat.
• Meanwhile, beat the eggs in a bowl, then finely grate in the Parmesan and mix well.
• Use tongs to transfer your pasta straight into the pan and toss with the bacon.
• Pour the Parmesan eggs into the pan, and keep everything moving, loosening with splashes of the pasta cooking water until you have a silky sauce. Make sure the pan isn't too hot otherwise the eggs will scramble.
• Plate up the pasta, and finish with an extra grating of Parmesan.

SPAGHETTI ALLA CARBONARA: THE TRADITIONAL ITALIAN RECIPE

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat; add guanciale (see Cook's Note). Cook, turning occasionally, until evenly browned and crispy, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and drain on paper towels.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook spaghetti in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until tender yet firm to the bite, about 9 minutes. Drain and return to the pot. Let cool, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes.
• Whisk eggs, half of the Pecorino Romano cheese, and some black pepper in a bowl until smooth and creamy. Pour egg mixture over pasta, stirring quickly, until creamy and slightly cooled. Stir in guanciale. Top with remaining Pecorino Romano cheese and more black pepper.

DIRTY CARBONARA

Steps:

• For the sauce: Whisk the eggs in a large bowl. Fry the bacon in a large frying pan over medium heat until crisp and golden, and then remove and drain on a paper towel. Leave all but 1 tablespoon of the bacon fat in the pan and add the butter. Return the pan to the burner and cook the onions until slightly golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Lower the heat to medium-low and add the half-and-half and cheese. Simmer until the sauce has thickened slightly, about 5 minutes; do not let boil. Let the sauce cool slightly, about 2 minutes. For the pasta: Boil the pasta in salted water until al dente. Slowly pour the cream sauce into the eggs while continuously whisking. Add the hot pasta and toss quickly. The hot pasta will complete the cooking of the eggs. Add the bacon and parsley and toss again. Season with salt and pepper and serve hot.