An unapologetic Roman-style carbonara, without cream, where roasted mushrooms and deeply browned onions bring a smoky depth without stealing the show from the egg yolks, pecorino and black pepper.
Ingredients
- 200 g dry durum wheat spaghetti
- 250 g fresh cremini mushrooms
- 1 piece yellow onion
- 80 g Italian guanciale
- 3 pieces extra-fresh egg yolks
- 55 g grated aged pecorino romano
- 1 tsp whole black peppercorns
- 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- to taste fine salt
- 0.25 bunches fresh chives
Method
- Slice the mushrooms and onion. Toss them in olive oil, then roast in a very hot oven until deeply browned, with almost charred edges but a juicy center.
- Cut the guanciale into thick lardons and render it slowly in a large cold skillet until you have crispy pieces and fragrant fat. Set the crispy pieces aside, leaving the fat in the pan.
- Coarsely grind the black pepper, then briefly toast it in the guanciale fat to wake up its aroma.
- In a bowl, mix the egg yolks with the grated pecorino until you get a thick paste. Loosen with a little pasta cooking water to prepare the emulsion.
- Cook the spaghetti in salted water until al dente. Reserve some pasta water before draining.
- Transfer the spaghetti to the pan off the heat, toss to coat in the peppery fat, then add the egg and cheese mixture while stirring constantly. Adjust with pasta water until you get a glossy, coating sauce with no scrambled eggs.
- Fold in the roasted mushrooms, roasted onion and crispy guanciale pieces. Toss just enough to distribute them without breaking the emulsion.
- Serve immediately in warm bowls with extra pecorino, freshly ground black pepper and chopped fresh chives.
Nutrition
Per serving
- Energy
- 937.4 kcal
- Protein
- 41.66 g
- Carbohydrate
- 84.44 g
- Fat
- 49.23 g
- Fibre
- 7.45 g
- Calcium
- 20.85 mg
- Iron
- 0.83 mg
- Magnesium
- 18.42 mg
