A carbonara true to its Roman roots, featuring guanciale, pecorino, egg yolks and black pepper, with an intentional twist on the onion: a sweet, smoky note, treated like a seasoning, with no cream or heaviness.
Ingredients
- 180 g durum wheat spaghetti
- 80 g cured Italian guanciale
- 70 g finely grated PDO Pecorino Romano
- 3 pieces extra-fresh free-range eggs
- 1 piece yellow onion
- 2 tsp whole black peppercorns
- to taste fine salt
Method
- Separate the egg yolks and place them in a bowl. Add the pecorino and a generous grind of black pepper, then mix until you get a thick, glossy paste.
- Thinly slice the onion. Sweat it gently in a dry skillet or with a tiny amount of the rendered guanciale fat until it becomes blonde, soft and almost candied, then set aside.
- Cut the guanciale into uniform batons. Render over medium heat in a large skillet until crispy on the outside and still tender in the center. Leave the rendered fat in the skillet.
- Cook the spaghetti in salted water until al dente. Reserve some cooking water before draining.
- Off the heat, add the spaghetti to the skillet with the guanciale fat. Add the reserved onion and toss to coat the pasta.
- Gradually loosen the yolk and pecorino mixture with a little hot cooking water, then fold it into the pasta off the heat, stirring constantly until you get a creamy, coating sauce without scrambling the eggs.
- Briefly return the skillet near gentle heat if necessary, never letting it simmer, to tighten the emulsion. Fold in the crispy guanciale at the last moment.
- Serve immediately with more freshly ground black pepper and a touch of pecorino.
Nutrition
Per serving
- Energy
- 817.8 kcal
- Protein
- 39.23 g
- Carbohydrate
- 70.43 g
- Fat
- 42.73 g
- Fibre
- 4.57 g
- Calcium
- 25.3 mg
- Iron
- 0.86 mg
- Magnesium
- 10.04 mg
