Pork

grocery Ingredients

• 1/4 lb (113g) guanciale, cut into 1/3-inch dice
• Guanciale fat, rendered and reserved
• 1 egg, whole (or all egg yolks, all whole eggs)
• 7 egg yolk, separated
• Bucatini
• Salt, to taste
• 1/2 cup pasta water, reserved
• Pecorino (or Parmesan)
• Parmesan (or Pecorino)
• Black pepper, ground

book_ribbon Instructions

1. Cut the guanciale into 1/3-inch dice (about a quarter pound).
2. Preheat a pan over medium-low heat and sauté the guanciale until it is golden brown and a lot of fat has rendered; remove the cooked guanciale and save the drippings (rendered guanciale fat). Let the guanciale cool.
3. In a bowl, add one whole egg and seven egg yolks and whisk until homogeneous without incorporating air (do not whip).
4. Add the cooled guanciale to the bowl with the egg mixture.
5. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add a very large amount of salt to season the water.
6. Drop the bucatini into the boiling water, stir, and cook in the pot — check after about six minutes; if there is still a little white ring, cook one more minute before draining.
7. Reserve about a half cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta.
8. Immediately add the hot drained pasta to the bowl with the egg and guanciale and start stirring right away.
9. Add some of the reserved rendered guanciale fat and a little of the reserved pasta water to the bowl to help thin the sauce and create an emulsion.
10. Add a mix of pecorino and Parmesan gradually, stirring and tossing until the sauce becomes super glossy and coats the noodles; if the sauce becomes too thick, add more pasta water as needed.
11. Add a large amount of ground black pepper to cut the creaminess and taste for salt (the guanciale and cheeses are salty, so add only a little salt if needed).
12. Use tongs to lift and nest the pasta, letting any danglers drop off, finish with additional cheese for good measure and one grind of black pepper, and serve.

grocery Ingredients

Fresh pasta

• Flour
• 2 eggs
• 2 egg yolks, separated
• Semolina

Pan cortado (crispy breadcrumb topping)

• Olive oil
• Breadcrumbs
• Pecorino cheese, grated

Sauce & assembly

• Guanciale, cut into lardons (or pancetta, bacon)
• Pecorino cheese, grated
• Black pepper, freshly cracked
• Salt, to taste
• Reserved pasta water, reserved, hot
• Parsley

book_ribbon Instructions

Fresh pasta

1. Pile flour onto a cutting board and press a bowl or your fingers into the center to form a well.
2. Crack two whole eggs into the well and separate out the additional egg yolks to reserve.
3. Whisk the eggs in the well and gradually pull in flour from the edges until the mixture thickens and will no longer run.
4. Pull the dough together using a bench scraper and your hands until it becomes dry and crumbly, then knead the dough by pushing, rolling, and folding with the palm of your hand until the dough is silky smooth (knead for about ten minutes).
5. If the dough feels too dry, add tiny sprinkles of water bit by bit until workable.
6. Cover the dough with plastic wrap or a damp towel and let rest at room temperature for between 1 and 3 hours.
7. Remove the cover and cut the rested dough into four even pieces, keeping unused pieces covered so they do not dry out.
8. Press one piece slightly flat and pass it through a pasta machine on the widest setting, folding it over itself as needed to remove air bubbles; continue rolling the dough progressively until you reach setting number six.
9. Dust the rolled pasta sheets with semolina to prevent sticking.
10. Cut the sheets to fit the center of the chitarra and roll over the chitarra to cut the pasta into even square-sided strands; toss the cut spaghetti immediately in semolina to coat and prevent sticking.

Pan cortado (crispy breadcrumbs)

1. Heat olive oil in a pan over low heat and add breadcrumbs.
2. Stir continuously until the breadcrumbs are golden brown and crispy, then shift the pan off the heat.
3. Add a sprinkle of grated pecorino to the hot breadcrumbs and mix to combine.
4. Transfer the pan cortado to a paper towel–lined baking sheet to soak up excess oil and set aside.

Guanciale and sauce finish

1. Grate pecorino cheese fresh by hand; do not use pre-grated cheese.
2. Cut guanciale into strips (lardons) and place them in a cold pan.
3. Render the guanciale slowly over low heat until the fat melts and you have crispy morsels and rendered fat in the pan; do this for about ten minutes.
4. Turn off the heat and add two whole eggs and the two reserved egg yolks to the pan.
5. Add grated pecorino and a lot of freshly cracked black pepper to the eggs and whisk to combine into an egg-cheese mixture.
6. Bring a pot of pasta water to dissolve plenty of salt, then cook the fresh pasta in the salted water for 60 seconds, stirring to prevent sticking.
7. Reserve some hot pasta water before draining.
8. Transfer the cooked pasta from the pot into the guanciale pan off the heat (do not cook over flame).
9. Add the egg and cheese mixture to the pan and begin mixing quickly.
10. Add hot reserved pasta water bit by bit while mixing constantly to gently cook the eggs and melt the cheese, aiming for a creamy sauce without scrambling the eggs.
11. If the sauce does not thicken, you may briefly apply and remove low heat while stirring, being careful to avoid scrambling the eggs.
12. Continue mixing and adding small splashes of pasta water until the sauce is glossy, velvety, and cohesive.
13. Plate the pasta and top with the pan cortado, a tiny dusting of parsley, and, if desired, a final smallest dusting of fresh cracked black pepper.

grocery Ingredients

• Guanciale, cleaned, small cubes
• Black pepper, to taste
• 1 Egg yolks, yolks only
• Grana Padano
• Pecorino (or Grana Padano (Parmesan) — use 1 part Grana Padano to 2 parts Pecorino to reduce saltiness)
• Spaghetti
• Pasta cooking water
• Salt, to taste
• Cream

book_ribbon Instructions

1. Remove any black pepper on the surface of the guanciale and the skin on the back, then cut the guanciale into small cubes.
2. Mix the cheeses: combine Pecorino and Grana Padano in a ratio of 2 parts Pecorino to 1 part Grana Padano.
3. Preheat the pan: warm the pan very hot over the stove, then reduce the heat to low before adding the guanciale.
4. Choose pan based on your stove: use an iron pan for gas and a non-stick pan for induction.
5. Cook the guanciale in its own fat (no oil or butter) over low heat until crispy on the outside and soft inside.
6. While the guanciale is cooking, prepare the egg sauce: separate yolks only and combine the yolks with the mixed cheeses (use one egg yolk per person; if eggs are small use 1.5 yolks per person; demonstration used 3 eggs).
7. When the guanciale has rendered fat, pour half of the rendered fat into the egg-and-cheese mixture.
8. Remove the remaining fat from the pan completely and keep the cooked guanciale pieces aside.
9. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt the water very lightly, add the spaghetti, and cook for 12 minutes until the pasta is soft (not al dente).
10. Reserve some pasta cooking water before draining the spaghetti.
11. Loosen the egg-and-cheese mixture with some reserved pasta water as needed.
12. Finish the sauce gently using a bain-marie (Bagno Maria): combine the pasta with the egg-and-cheese mixture and cook gently at about 65 degrees centigrade until the sauce is very creamy.
13. Ensure the guanciale is hot (important) and add the guanciale to the finished pasta and sauce.
14. Plate the carbonara, finish on top with additional guanciale, a little cream, a dusting of Pecorino, and freshly ground black pepper.

grocery Ingredients

• 200g pasta
• Salt, to taste
• Guanciale, skin removed, cut into small squares
• 3 egg yolks
• 40g Pecorino cheese, grated
• Pasta cooking water
• Black pepper

book_ribbon Instructions

1. Salt the cooking water.
2. Bring the water to a boil and add 200 gram pasta.
3. Cook the pasta al dente: if the packet says 8 minutes, cook for about 5 minutes.
4. Meanwhile clean the guanciale (remove the skin) and cut it into small squares.
5. Render the guanciale over the gas/open fire until the fat has melted and flavorful crispy bits form; do not add any oil.
6. Grate about 40 gram Pecorino cheese.
7. Beat the 3 egg yolks with the grated Pecorino using a fork until combined.
8. Reserve a little pasta cooking water.
9. Remove the guanciale pan from the heat (off the gas/open fire) and let it cool slightly to avoid scrambling the eggs.
10. Combine the hot pasta with the rendered guanciale off the heat, add the egg-and-cheese mixture and a little reserved pasta water, and stir with a fork until a creamy sauce forms.
11. If needed, return briefly to the heat for one more second to thicken the sauce, then remove from the heat.
12. Season with black pepper and serve.

grocery Ingredients

• Pecorino cheese, grated
• Guanciale, cut into large cubes
• Egg yolks, beaten smooth
• Pepper
• 100g Spaghetti
• Pasta cooking water

book_ribbon Instructions

1. Grate the pecorino cheese.
2. Cut off the crust of the guanciale, then cut the guanciale into large cubes.
3. Beat only the egg yolks into a smooth liquid and add pepper.
4. Briefly sauté the guanciale cubes in a pan without adding any oil.
5. Boil the spaghetti at 100 grams per portion for ten minutes, cooking until al dente; reserve a little pasta cooking water.
6. Stir pepper into the guanciale grease with a little reserved pasta water.
7. Add the drained spaghetti to the pan with the guanciale and grease.
8. Add the beaten egg yolks to the pasta and mix everything well.
9. Add the grated pecorino and stir again to combine.
10. Arrange the noodles, top with the sautéed guanciale cubes, and sprinkle a bit of pepper and pecorino on top.

grocery Ingredients

• 1/4 inch pancetta, diced
• Bucatini
• Egg yolks, yolks only
• Onion, peeled and diced
• Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated
• 1 tbsp salt
• 1 gallon water, boiling
• Black pepper, cracked
• Parsley, chopped

book_ribbon Instructions

1. Bring one gallon of water to a rolling boil.
2. Add one tablespoon of salt to the boiling water.
3. Cut cold pancetta into roughly 1/4–1/2 inch dice so it is easier to work with.
4. Heat a pan over medium-low heat and add the diced pancetta. Render the fat and cook the pancetta until nicely crispy, leaving the rendered fat in the pan.
5. Peel and finely dice the onion.
6. Add the diced onion to the pan with the reserved pancetta fat and sweat the onions a bit; season with a touch of salt and cook until the onions have softened and begun to caramelize.
7. When the sauce components are nearly ready, drop the bucatini into the boiling salted water (do not break the pasta). Stir immediately and keep a strainer inside the pot so you can remove the pasta immediately and retain the pasta cooking water.
8. Cook the bucatini until just al dente (look for a small white dot in the center).
9. Grate Parmigiano-Reggiano and mix the grated cheese into the egg yolks in a mixing bowl.
10. Reserve some hot pasta cooking water before draining the pasta.
11. Temper the egg-and-cheese mixture by slowly incorporating hot pasta water and/or a small amount of the onion-and-fat from the pan into the egg mixture, mixing rapidly and going slowly to avoid scrambling the eggs.
12. Combine the drained bucatini with the tempered egg, cheese and onion mixture and toss to coat, adding reserved pasta water as needed to form a creamy sauce.
13. Add chopped parsley, additional Parmigiano-Reggiano and cracked black pepper to taste, toss, and serve immediately.

grocery Ingredients

• 300g spaghetti quadrati, square, thicker than usual (or spaghetti)
• 200g pecorino romano (or Parmigiano Reggiano, Grana Padano)
• 300g guanciale, skin removed, cut into strips (or pancetta, zucchini, prawns)
• 3 egg yolk, separated
• 1 egg
• 2 quart water, boiling
• Pasta water, starchy
• Black pepper

book_ribbon Instructions

1. Measure pasta and guanciale using a 1:1 weight ratio (the recipe uses 300 gram pasta and 300 gram guanciale).
2. Fill a large pot with 2 quart of water and bring to a rolling boil; do not add salt to the pasta water.
3. Remove the skin from the guanciale and cut it into strips (cut a strip then smaller strips so pieces have fat on the edges and meat in the middle).
4. Set a pan over medium-low heat and add the guanciale; cook very gently until the fat renders into oil and the meat becomes crispy yet still tender.
5. Reserve some starchy pasta water before transferring pasta; when adding the dry spaghetti to the pot, push the strands into the water so they cook evenly.
6. Cook the spaghetti for 13 minutes.
7. While the pasta cooks, mix the eggs: combine 3 egg yolks and 1 whole egg in a bowl and whisk until blended.
8. Add pecorino romano to the eggs in two stages: add about half the pecorino, add a splash of (pasta) water and mix to form a thick cream, then add more pecorino and mix until very thick.
9. When the guanciale is crispy, remove about half of it from the pan and set it aside; leave the remaining guanciale and its rendered fat in the pan.
10. When the pasta is al dente, transfer the spaghetti from the pot directly into the pan with the guanciale using tongs, leaving some pasta water in the pot.
11. Stir the pasta with the guanciale and add a little pasta water to help emulsify and prevent the eggs from scrambling.
12. Turn off the heat; immediately pour the egg-and-pecorino mixture over the pasta in the pan, add a touch of pasta water (a little, not too much), and stir continuously until the sauce becomes super creamy.
13. Transfer the carbonara to a large (salad) bowl and toss to increase creaminess.
14. Top the dish with the reserved guanciale and a generous mountain of black pepper before serving.

grocery Ingredients

• 1 tbsp salt
• 1 lb (454g) spaghetti (or bucatini, tonnarelli)
• 1 lb (454g) diced thick-cut bacon, diced, thick cut (or pancetta)
• 4 egg yolks
• 2 whole eggs
• 1 cup Pecorino Romano cheese, grated (or Parmesan)
• 1 1/2 cup pasta water
• 1-2 tbsp bacon grease
• Freshly chopped parsley
• Black pepper

book_ribbon Instructions

1. Add 1 tablespoon salt to a large pot of water and bring to a boil.
2. Cook 1 pound spaghetti according to the package directions.
3. Place 1 pound diced thick-cut bacon into a cold skillet.
4. Turn the heat up and cook the bacon until crispy, about 7 to 10 minutes.
5. While the pasta and bacon are cooking, whisk together 4 egg yolks, 2 whole eggs, and 1 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese; set the mixture aside.
6. Just before the pasta is done, dip a glass measuring cup into the pot and reserve about 1 1/2 cups of the pasta water.
7. Once the bacon is crispy, leave the bacon in the pan and drain off the excess grease; if desired, leave 1 to 2 tablespoons of bacon grease in the pan for extra flavor.
8. Turn the heat to low and add the cooked spaghetti and the egg mixture to the pan, scooping the egg mixture on top of the pasta.
9. Add about 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water and start tossing quickly, then gradually pour in more reserved pasta water until the sauce reaches the desired consistency.
10. Keep tossing and cook for about 2 minutes over super low heat.
11. Serve hot topped with freshly chopped parsley, black pepper, and a little more Pecorino Romano cheese.