Traditional Carbonara Recipe: Pasta from Rome (2024)

La carbonara! One of the most replicated Italian dishes around the world, yet one of the most easily mistaken. In this post, I’ll teach you my traditional carbonara recipe, direct from Rome!

There are a few stories surrounding the origins of this delicious Roman dish. Some say that it comes from the “carbonai”, shepherds at the beginning of the 1900s who could only find these simple ingredients while tending the flocks (pecorino- sheep cheese, eggs, and guanciale).

They used pepper and salt to preserve the guanciale and did not use olive oil as it was too expensive. Others say it was invented after the Americans came during WWII and were often seen eating eggs and bacon, so the Italians made a pasta based on those ingredients. Whatever the truth is, we are happy it was invented!

This dish is quite simple, but as Romans, we feel very passionate that you use the right ingredients. Traveling abroad I’ve seen this dish being butchered, so the first rule is that the ingredients are only four: pecorino (sheep cheese), guanciale (pork cheeks), eggs (just yolks) and pepper. There is no olive oil, no butter, no garlic, no onions and DEFINITELY NO cream in a traditional carbonara recipe!

Step 1: Getting Started with Carbonara

Start boiling the water. It is a quick recipe, as you can make everything while the water boils and the pasta cooks. It’s about 20 to 25 minutes from start to finish!

Step 2: On to the Guanciale

Slice the guanciale and start simmering it in a non-stick pan on medium heat. No oil is needed as the fat from the guanciale will melt and it will create the “oil” used to flavor the pasta. If you cannot find guanciale and must use pancetta, you can add a little extra virgin olive oil as the pancetta does not contain much fat.

You want the guanciale to get crunchy and lose most of the fat, but not too crunchy or it will be tough when chewed. About 10 minutes is good to retain a good fat/crunch ratio.

Step 3: Carbonara and Egg Yolks

Mix the 4 egg yolks (usually 2 yolks per person will yield a perfectly creamy carbonara) with half of the pecorino cheese.

Step 4: Just Add Water

When the pasta is almost cooked, with a ladle take some of the boiling salted water and pour it on the egg-Pecorino mixture, then mix well. This boiling water actually “pasteurizes” the eggs, so it is safe to eat even though the eggs are not actually cooked. Just a few tablespoons of water suffice. Grab another cup of boiling water and set it aside.

Step 5: Combining the Carbonara Ingredients

Take out the pasta when it is very al dente. I usually do 2 minutes before the time on the box, but always taste it first! After straining the pasta, mix it all together. This is the hardest part, because you do not want your eggs to scramble, but they must become a creamy sauce. What I do is strain the pasta and quickly rinse it with a little cold water (so it is not too hot, and the eggs won’t become an omelet when they touch the pasta). Then pour the pasta in the guanciale pan (you can set a few strips aside for decoration later),

TURN OFF THE STOVE, pour the egg mixture and stir continuously. Add a little bit of the hot pasta water that you had set aside if it becomes dry or starts to scramble, a little bit a time and not all together. That water contains starch from the pasta, so it also helps to thicken the egg mixture if it is too loose. This will also cook the pasta a little more, that is why you do not want to overcook it but take it out when very al dente. Add in the rest of the pecorino and a nice amount of freshly cracked black pepper. Then continue stirring until you have the perfect creaminess.

Enjoying This Traditional Carbonara Recipe

Now you can plate it and add a couple of the guanciale strips for decoration on top.

Et voila!

You must serve carbonara immediately or the egg will dry and lose any creaminess. Now that you know how to cook carbonara the authentic way, it will be very hard to eat it in any restaurant outside of Italy! But that’s okay, it is cheap, quick and you can enjoy it right in your own kitchen!