Spaghetti Carbonara with Guanciale
The Greek Farmer
4
15 minutes
Italian
Dinner
This is proper carbonara!
Simple, packed with flavour and built around our rich, slow-cured guanciale. No cream, no fuss: just eggs, cheese, pasta water and that silky fat from our pork cheeks.
Ingredients
350–400g dried spaghetti
100g Guanciale
2 Large free range eggs + 2 egg yolks
100 g finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano or Pecorino Romano
Fresh cracked black pepper
Salt (for pasta water)
A mug of reserved pasta cooking water
Directions
Cut the guanciale into cubes, thickness is down to personal preference. Those streaks of fat are what make carbonara silky so don’t trim them off.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs and yolks. Stir in the grated cheese and a good crack of black pepper until it forms a creamy paste.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the spaghetti until al dente. Just before draining, scoop out about a cup of the starchy pasta water, then drain.
While the spaghetti cooks, fry the guanciale in a dry pan over medium heat. There’s no need for oil, the fat will melt out and crisp the meat. Cook until golden and fragrant.
Once the guanciale is crisp, tip the hot spaghetti into the pan and toss so every strand is coated in that rich pork fat.
Immediately transfer the coated pasta into the bowl with your egg and cheese mix. Add a splash of the reserved pasta water and stir vigorously. Watch as the sauce magically turns creamy and glossy, clinging to each strand without scrambling the eggs. Add a touch more pasta water if you need extra silkiness.
Divide between warm bowls, finish with more cracked pepper and an extra dusting of cheese.
