Imagine yourself in Rome when cooking this classic dish at home; we show you how to make the authentic and the best pasta Carbonara.

We like the carbonara recipe by Italian chef Antonio Carluccio, friend of Jamie Oliver. Carluccio was an Italian chef and restaurateur nick-named ‘the godfather of Italian gastronomy’, with a career span of over fifty years (sadly, Carluccio passed away on 8 November 2017).

After coming to the United Kingdom in the 1970’s he became manager and later owner of Neal Street Restaurant in London’s Covent Garden and it was there, under his guidance British celebrity chef Jamie Oliver began his professional career. In 2012, chef Antonio Carluccio was awarded the AA Lifetime Achievement Award.

Carluccio makes the pasta carbonara with guanciale. Made from pork jowl, where fat is the best, guanciale is a traditional Italian charcuterie. Its taste is stronger than other pork products, such as pancetta, and its texture is more delicate. It has alternating layers of fat and meat and upon cooking, the fat typically melts away giving great depth of flavour to the dishes and sauces it is used in.

 

Ingredients:

220g spaghetti or spaghettoni (the largest spaghetti)

25g  guanciale (pork cheek) cut into small cubes

2 tbsp olive oil

2 eggs

50g parmesan cheese (or aged pecorino) freshly grated

freshly ground black pepper

Preparation:

Cook the pasta in a large pan of boiling salted water until al dente. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a pan and fry the guanciale until crisp. Lightly beat the eggs in a large bowl with the grated cheese and pepper. When the pasta is ready, drain and add to the pan with the guanciale. Mix well to coat everything. Take off the heat. Allow to cool slightly. Then add the egg and cheese mixture. Stir to coat the pasta and serve immediately.