Carbonara
Serves 4 to 6
My sons loved this dish so much when they were little that it was the first dinner they learned to cook for themselves. Carbonara, as it’s generally called, contains their holy trinity—bacon, eggs, and cheese—with the added bonus of that pantry star, pasta. All four of these ingredients lend themselves to variation, which is why there are so many different options for (and opinions about) carbonara—some use cream, some add parsley, some call for noodles other than spaghetti. Basic instructions follow here, with some extended options, in case you have the ingredients and want a few more layers of flavor.
INGREDIENTS
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 8 ounces bacon or pancetta, sliced crosswise into ½-inch pieces
- Coarse salt
- 2 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled (optional)
- Splash of white wine (optional)
- 1 pound spaghetti (or any pasta noodle)
DIRECTIONS
- In a large serving bowl, whisk together the eggs, cheese, and pepper.
- Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until just crispy, 8 to 10 minutes. If using garlic cloves, add them with the bacon and cook until lightly golden; remove them before serving. If desired, skim off some of the excess fat. Add the wine, if using, and let the mixture bubble away for a minute.
- Meanwhile, boil a large pot of water. Generously salt the water, boil the pasta for 2 minutes shy of the package instructions, and taste for doneness—the pasta should be al dente. Drain. Add the hot noodles and bacon mixture directly to the bowl of eggs. Toss everything together quickly until the noodles are evenly coated (it’s important to work quickly so the eggs cook gently and become a rich sauce without curdling). Make sure the bacon is evenly distributed throughout the pasta. Serve immediately topped with Parmesan.
PANTRY
Need help with the ingredients? Check our pantry list:
cook's note
Substituting Salty Pork Products: I’m sure some people think what I am about to say is sacrilege, but here goes: if you don’t have bacon, use pancetta or Spanish or cured chorizo. Essentially, their role is to impart a salty, porky underlayer of flavor to a sauce or stew. So if a recipe calls for pancetta and you only have bacon in your fridge, don’t be afraid to use it. It will do the job just fine.
