Spaghetti alla Carbonara
Spaghetti with Bacon and Parmesan
"Each family has its own carbonara recipe, but whatever the recipe always make sure you use fresh ingredients and that your pasta is cooked al dente! This is a great meal to share with friends while watching a football match.
Every butcher or grocery in Rome sells guanciale and Parmigiano-Reggiano."
Submitted by: Ercole Di Baia, owner of property 91312 in Rome.
Ingredients (Serves 4):
500g Italian spaghetti (or rigatoni)
200g guanciale (fatty bacon) or Pancetta (ideally half of each), chopped into half centimetre cubes
5 fresh eggs
150g Parmigiano-Reggiano
½ glass extra virgin olive oil
Freshly grated black pepper
How to cook this dish:
1. Bring a large pan of water to the boil. When the water is boiling, add 2-3 teaspoons of salt and the pasta.
2. Make sure the pasta is completely submerged and stir regularly. Cook according to instructions until it is ‘al dente’. Taste continuously, as it can go from al dente to overcooked in a minute!
3. While the pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil in a large saucepan and add the bacon.
4. Cook at medium heat until it begins to get crispy, but is still soft. Remove the pan from the heat and leave on the side, covered with a lid.
5. In a large salad bowl, mix together two whole eggs and three egg yolks with a fork until they are all one colour.
6. Add half the parmesan and mix again.
7. Once the pasta is ready, drain into a colander, shake well and place into the large saucepan with the bacon and oil.
8. Put the saucepan back on the stove at high heat and stir for about 45 seconds, adding lots of freshly ground black pepper.
9. Pour the pasta and bacon in to the large salad bowl with the egg mixture and stir well. Make sure you add all the pasta at once and start to stir straight away, otherwise the eggs may cook - the sauce should remain creamy.
10. Sprinkle over the rest of the parmesan, some more pepper and serve instantly.
2. Make sure the pasta is completely submerged and stir regularly. Cook according to instructions until it is ‘al dente’. Taste continuously, as it can go from al dente to overcooked in a minute!
3. While the pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil in a large saucepan and add the bacon.
4. Cook at medium heat until it begins to get crispy, but is still soft. Remove the pan from the heat and leave on the side, covered with a lid.
5. In a large salad bowl, mix together two whole eggs and three egg yolks with a fork until they are all one colour.
6. Add half the parmesan and mix again.
7. Once the pasta is ready, drain into a colander, shake well and place into the large saucepan with the bacon and oil.
8. Put the saucepan back on the stove at high heat and stir for about 45 seconds, adding lots of freshly ground black pepper.
9. Pour the pasta and bacon in to the large salad bowl with the egg mixture and stir well. Make sure you add all the pasta at once and start to stir straight away, otherwise the eggs may cook - the sauce should remain creamy.
10. Sprinkle over the rest of the parmesan, some more pepper and serve instantly.
Serve with:
A large glass of Italian white wine or a bottle of beer.
Property 91312 is a romantic one bedroom apartment located just a few steps away from the Colosseum and the Roman Forum in the old Celio district. It is newly refurbished, has a lovely open-plan living area with wood-beamed ceiling, and is complemented by a beautiful private courtyard, an ideal place to indulge in a few glasses of wine in the evening. 