Pasta recipes go down a treat in many households, and a popular one is your classic carbonara.
It is a classic Italian pasta dish consisting of eggs, pork (classically guanciale – pork cheek, but also sometimes with pancetta or bacon), pecorino cheese, black pepper, and pasta.
While it is thought that the classic recipe consists of cream, butter or extra fat, this is actually a common misconception.
Chef Alessandra Ciuffo has shared her technique for cooking the “best” carbonara recipe that yields a “deliciously creamy result” while avoiding adding anything other than the classic ingredients.
She said: “Once you try this new technique, I promise you won’t want to make this dish any other way!”
Alessandra’s carbonara recipe includes egg whites, which other chefs often discard when making this dish.
The yolks are combined with freshly grated pecorino cheese and a touch of pork fat, and the whites are whipped to form soft peaks.
When tossing the pasta with the sauce, the chef starts with the egg yolk combination and finishes it by gently folding in the airy egg whites to “add an extra touch of creaminess”.
Ingredients
113g guanciale
One cup of freshly grated pecorino romano cheese
Three eggs, yolks and white separated
454g bucatini, spaghetti, rigatoni or your favourite pasta
Black pepper, to taste
Method
Start by slicing the guanciale into bite-sized pieces. Heat a skillet over medium heat, add the guanciale, and cook to render the fat and crisp up the pieces. Use a slotted spoon to remove the crispy guanciale onto a paper towel-lined plate.
Separate the egg whites and yolks in two bowls. Add the grated pecorino cheese to the yolks and combine well (it should be thick and paste-like). Add about a teaspoon of the rendered fat from the guanciale.
Beat the egg whites using a whisk or mixer for one to three minutes, until you achieve soft peaks and no liquid is at the bottom of the bowl.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add a good pinch of salt (but not too much because the guanciale and pecorino are already salty). Cook the pasta for two minutes under al dente.
Remove all but one tablespoon of the rendered fat from the pan in which you cooked the guanciale. Crack some fresh black pepper and toast for one minute.
Add the under al dente pasta to the pan and toss well to coat. Turn the heat off. Mix one ladle of the pasta water with the egg yolk mixture, stir well, and then add to the pan with the pasta.
Stir vigorously to form an emulsion and coat the pasta. Add more pasta water as necessary to keep a saucy consistency. Gently fold the egg whites into the pasta until just combined.
Plate the pasta and top with the crispy guanciale, extra pecorino romano cheese and black pepper as wanted.
