“Carbonara is one of the most popular and well-known pasta recipes ever, and there are lots of strong opinions on how it should be prepared,” chef Theo Randall says.
“If you look on social media, you will see a carbonara on almost all Italian food platforms.
“I have used spaghettoni in this recipe because I love the thick, chewy texture, but I have had some great carbonara in Rome where they used a short pasta; both work really well.
“One thing to remember when making carbonara is that it’s important you have everything ready around you – it’s a pasta dish that requires confidence from the cook and the more organised you are, the more relaxed you will feel when cooking.
“If in doubt, take the pan off the heat when adding the egg yolk and Parmesan mixture.”
Spaghettoni alla carbonara
Ingredients:
(Serves 4)
200g sliced guanciale or pancetta, diced or cut into matchsticks
6 egg yolks
75g Pecorino Romano, grated, plus extra to serve
75g Parmesan, grated
500g dried spaghettoni
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method:
1. Cook the guanciale or pancetta in a large, hot frying pan until crispy. Remove and keep to one side, but keep the fat in the pan.
2. In a bowl, mix the egg yolks, grated Pecorino and Parmesan together with a fork so you have a thick mixture that is well combined. Keep to one side.
3. Cook the spaghettoni in a large saucepan of boiling salted water for two minutes less than the packet suggests.
4. Remove the spaghettoni with a pair of tongs and add to the frying pan with the fat remaining from cooking the guanciale.
5. Place over a medium heat and add a ladle of pasta cooking water, then remove from the heat and spoon the egg yolk mixture into the pan. Stir together until everything is emulsified. If it feels a little dry, add another ladle of pasta water.
6. Return to a low heat, stirring or tossing all the time, so the pasta has a creamy consistency, then add half the crispy guanciale and mix to combine.
7. Divide the pasta between warmed pasta bowls and scrape out all the sauce on to each dish, using a spatula.
8. Divide the remaining crispy guanciale between the dishes and finish off with plenty of black pepper. Serve with a little extra grated Pecorino.
The Italian Table by Theo Randall is published by Quadrille. Photography by Lizzie Mayson. Available noq
