Cooked with care, carbonara can be one of those magical dishes that is so much more than the sum of its parts. Made quickly from a handful of storecupboard staples, what you end up with is one of the most of comforting, silky-sauced pasta dishes there is.
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Though it’s a simple dish, getting it right and not ending up with scrambled eggs takes a lot more skill than your average plate of pasta. Pay attention to the detail. With our next level spaghetti carbonara, we stay true to tradition – without the cheat's addition of cream – so what you end up with should be pasta coated in a thin, hollandaise-type sauce. Time waits for no man with this, so work quickly and don't take your eye off the ball, or you may end up with egg on your face...
10 tips for the perfect spaghetti carbonara
1. The cheek of it
2. Hot pepper
3. You must be yolking
4. Stop the seize
5. Holy water
6. The heat is off
7. Emulsion perfection
8. The perfect pasta
9. The need for speed
10. A word of warming
1. The cheek of it
Authentically, carbonara is made with guanciale, which is Italian cured pork jowl – also known as cheek bacon. It has a high fat-to-meat ratio giving ;the finished dish its richness. Guanciale is available from good Italian delis, or online, but fatty pancetta makes an equally good stand-in.
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2. Hot pepper
'Carbonara' means charcoal and the dish was so named apparently because of the visible black specks of pepper. It should be used as spice in this recipe more than background seasoning. Be generous enough that it adds heat to the finished dish and wake up the flavour by toasting it off in hot fat.
3. You must be yolking
We’ve used just the yolks as they are the rich part of the eggs that thicken sauces, and whites can become streaky and slimy when under-cooked. For extra luxury, we’ve given the option of an extra yolk to be stirred in at the table. These could be swapped for duck or goose egg yolks if you have them.
4. Stop the seize
Don’t be tempted (as other not so ‘next level’ recipes suggest) to mix the yolks and parmesan together; they seize into a clump that’s then hard to incorporate into the pasta.
5. Holy water
Pasta water is perfect for loosening pasta dishes as it contains starch and flavour from the pasta, which adds to the silkiness of the finished sauce.
6. The heat is off
All the cooking of the eggs should be done in the residual heat from the pasta. Geek alert: Yolks will thicken at 65C and will start to scramble at about 70C, so the heat from the just-boiled water will be more than enough to thicken the yolks into a sauce that’s velvety and clings to the pasta.
7. Emulsion perfection
Ultimately you are trying to emulsify the yolks and pancetta fat together, which is the same principle as making a hollandaise sauce. You need to use your judgement and, if the sauce is too thick, add more water and if it’s too thin, heat it up briefly.
8. The perfect pasta
We’ve opted for the classic spaghetti but a flat pasta like egg fettucine or tagliatelle also work well. A slightly rough-faced pasta rather than a cheaper smooth type will help the sauce cling. Look for pasta that’s been through a bronze press.
9. The need for speed
Carbonara is a last-minute recipe that needs to be served as soon as it’s ready. Have everything you need to hand before cooking and make sure the table is set.
10. A word of warming
The finished dish loses its heat very quickly and is horrid when tepid so warming your bowls or plates will help it stay hot for longer and will also help ‘cook’ the extra egg yolk if you’re using it.
See the full recipe for our next level spaghetti carbonara.
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Do you prefer spaghetti carbonara with or without cream? Leave a comment below...
