Authentic carbonara: no cream, no onion, no excuses

Carbonara is probably the most mistreated Italian dish in the world. At Desidero we serve it the way Rome serves it: egg, guanciale, pecorino romano and black pepper. No cream, no onion, no garlic, no mushrooms. The creaminess does not come from a carton: it comes from technique.

Ingredients (serves 2)

• 200 g spaghetti (or rigatoni, as on our menu)
• 100 g guanciale (cured pork jowl; pancetta is the acceptable substitute)
• 2 egg yolks + 1 whole egg
• 50 g pecorino romano DOP, freshly grated
• Black pepper, freshly ground, in generous quantity

Method

1. The guanciale

Cut the guanciale into finger-thick strips. Render them in a cold pan without oil over medium-low heat until golden outside and translucent within. Set the strips aside and keep the fat in the pan.

2. The cream

Whisk the yolks, the whole egg and the pecorino with a tablespoon of cold water into a dense paste. Add plenty of black pepper.

3. The pasta

Cook the pasta in lightly salted water (pecorino and guanciale already bring plenty of salt), pulling it 1 minute before the packet time. Reserve a cup of the cooking water.

4. The emulsion — the moment of truth

Off the heat, toss the pasta with the guanciale fat. Wait 30 seconds (if the pan is boiling hot the egg will scramble, and you will have eggs with pasta). Add the egg cream and stir vigorously, loosening with cooking water little by little, until the sauce coats every strand with a silky shine.

Finish with the crisp guanciale, more pecorino and another twist of pepper.

The golden rules

• Cream is forbidden. The creaminess is an emulsion of egg, cheese, fat and starch.
• The egg never touches direct heat.
• The cooking water is your safety net: add it spoonful by spoonful.

Rather have the original? Our carbonara with fresh daily pasta is waiting on the menu. And yes: we make it exactly like this.