A hearty winter carbonara with extra guanciale, rich egg yolks, plenty of Pecorino, black pepper, and slowly browned onion for a mellow depth that never relies on cream.
Ingredients
- 220 g durum wheat spaghetti
- 160 g slab Italian guanciale
- 1 piece yellow onion
- 3 pieces extra-fresh egg yolks
- 95 g aged Pecorino Romano
- 1 clove pink garlic clove
- 2 tsp whole black peppercorns
- 1/4 tsp sweet smoked paprika
- to taste fine sea salt
- 0.25 bunches fresh chives
Method
- Cut the guanciale into thick strips, then add to a cold skillet. Heat gently to render the fat without scorching the meat.
- When the guanciale is golden and crisp, remove a portion for the garnish and keep the rest in the skillet with its rendered fat.
- Add the thinly sliced onion to the guanciale fat and cook slowly until meltingly tender, sweet, and lightly golden.
- Rub the skillet with the crushed garlic clove, then discard it before its flavor overpowers the pan.
- Coarsely grind the black pepper and toast it briefly in the skillet with the smoked paprika, just long enough to bloom the aromatics.
- Cook the spaghetti in well-salted water until al dente. Reserve some pasta cooking water before draining.
- In a warm bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the grated Pecorino until you reach a dense, glossy, peppered paste.
- Off the heat, add the spaghetti to the skillet with the onion and guanciale. Loosen with a splash of pasta cooking water to coat the pasta.
- Pour the yolk and Pecorino mixture into the pan off the heat, stirring vigorously while gradually adding pasta cooking water until the sauce is silky, glossy, and smooth with no scrambled egg.
- Plate immediately in generous nests, then finish with the reserved crispy guanciale, a shower of Pecorino, freshly cracked black pepper, and finely minced chives.
Nutrition
Per serving
- Energy
- 787.5 kcal
- Protein
- 36.29 g
- Carbohydrate
- 56.93 g
- Fat
- 47.01 g
- Fibre
- 3.67 g
- Calcium
- 18 mg
- Iron
- 0.67 mg
- Magnesium
- 7.77 mg
