Authentic pasta carbonara is usually made with spaghetti in Italy. It is very simple and consists of only pasta, guanciale, egg yolk, and Pecorino Romano. All this to say that my take on carbonara pasta is somewhat different than the authentic version. My version of rich and creamy pasta carbonara is more foolproof than its authentic counterpart, as the addition of cream helps to make the sauce rich and reduces the chances of curdling.
To make this creamy pasta carbonara even more delicious, I also add garlic and shallots because they add depth of flavor to any dish. I am obsessed with both aromatics and encourage you to use them gratuitously in everything.
If you like pasta to be “al dente”, you would usually purposely undercook the pasta by a minute or two in boiling water and then finish cooking it in a sauce. But this does not work for carbonara because the fire is off when you combine the pasta with sauce. So in this case, I would recommend cooking your pasta until desired texture before you mix with carbonara sauce.
For more Italian-inspired recipes, check out my:
Tomato Basil Bruschetta with Aged Balsamic Vinegar
Best Chicken Visuvio Recipe-with Sherry and Garlic Sauce
Rich and Creamy Pasta Carbonara
Ingredients
- 1 box dried pasta-spaghetti, linguine
- 2 lb bacon or pancetta cut into 1 inch pieces
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 shallot diced
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 7 egg yolks
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 1/2 cup Parmigiano Reggiano grated
- 1 tbsp black pepper freshly ground
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to boil. Boil pasta according to package directions (approximately 7-10 minutes).
- Make egg yolk mixture by mixing together salt, egg yolks, heavy whipping cream, and Parmigiano Reggiano.
- Heat skillet on medium high and place bacon in the pan. Cook for about 10-15 minutes. When there is enough fat released for the bacon to cook in its own fat, turn the fire to medium low to allow bacon to render and become crispy. When the bacon begins to crisp up, remove from pan.
- Place bacon onto paper towels to absorb excess fat. Pour out 95% of the bacon fat into a bowl and set aside to discard after it cools. Add shallot and garlic to the remaining bacon fat in the pan. Saute for another 2-3 minutes.
- Turn off the fire to the skillet.
- When the pasta is al dente or has just a bite, drain the pasta into the skillet. Add egg yolk mixture into the pasta and stir constantly. Turn the fire on the lowest setting to help the sauce cook and thicken, about 1-2 minutes.
- When the pasta sauce has thickened to a creamy and thick consistency, remove from the pan to stop the cooking. Add freshly ground black pepper, season with salt to taste, top with bacon, and serve immediately. Add extra grated Parmigiano Regianno to taste.
Sh basil. Adjust seasoning as needed: add garlic salt, red pepper flake, Parmiggiano Reggiano, and black pepper to taste.
