Carbonara with Pancetta
Carbonara with Pancetta is a classic Italian recipe made with diced pancetta, pecorino romano, and egg yolks. The pancetta is a great substitute for traditional guanciale which can be difficult to find.
Servings 6 servings
Calories 458kcal
Ingredients
- 12 ounces spaghetti
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 ounces cubed pancetta
- 4 large egg yolks
- 5 ounces Pecorino Romano, grated (plus more for topping)
- 1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
Instructions
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Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook the spaghetti until al dente, according to package instructions. Save half a cup of cooking water and drain; set aside.
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While the spaghetti cooks, heat a skillet over medium high heat and add in the olive oil and diced pancetta. Cook, stirring frequently, until the pancetta is crisp and cooked though.
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In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, grated pecorino romano cheese, and fresh pepper. While whisking, slowly stir in the pancetta (with all of the pan drippings) and add in just enough cooking water until you reach a creamy thick consistency (you may not need to add in all of the water.)
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To the bowl, add in the warm spaghetti and toss it all together until each strand is well coated. Serve immediately with a sprinkle of pecorino romano cheese on top.
Notes
- Pancetta, which is made from pork belly, has less fat and thus you’ll need to fry it in a bit of oil. If you are able to find guanciale, which is made from pork jowl, you can use that instead and omit the oil in the recipe.
- If you are nervous about eating raw eggs in pasta carbonara, you can rest assure that when you whisk it with the hot water from the pasta, it will help cook the egg yolks.
- Make sure that when you do add the hot water to the eggs and cheese, you are adding the water slowly and whisking constantly so you don’t end up with scrambled eggs.
- This easy carbonara recipe is best served immediately. If you are making for later, you can keep it warm in a double boiler until ready to serve.
Nutrition
Calories: 458kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 159mg | Sodium: 418mg | Potassium: 197mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 268IU | Calcium: 279mg | Iron: 1mg
