Rigatoni alla Carbonara

Name: Rigatoni alla Carbonara
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Yield: 4 portions
Cuisine: Roman
Ingredients: 400 g · 14 oz rigatoni; 150 g · 5 oz guanciale, in strips; 80 g · 4 yolks egg yolks; 50 g · 1 egg whole egg; 80 g · ¾ cup Pecorino Romano, finely grated; 3 g · 1 tsp black pepper, freshly ground; 15 g · 1 tbsp salt, for the pasta water

🍽 Serves 4⏱ Prep 10 min🔥 Cook 20 min🌍 Roman

Roman carbonara the classic way: crisp guanciale, egg yolks and Pecorino Romano, no cream.

📍 Lazio · Rome · Italy

The story of the dish

Carbonara appeared in Rome in the 1940s–50s; one story links it to the eggs and bacon of American soldiers, another to the charcoal workers (carbonari) of the Apennines.

The name: Carbonara may come from carbonaro, 'charcoal burner', or from the black pepper that looks like coal dust.

Ingredients

Ingredient	EUg · ml	UScups · spoons
rigatoni	≈ 400 g	≈ 14 oz
guanciale in strips	≈ 150 g	≈ 5 oz
egg yolks	≈ 80 g	≈ 4 yolks
whole egg	≈ 50 g	≈ 1 egg
Pecorino Romano finely grated	≈ 80 g	≈ ¾ cup
black pepper freshly ground	≈ 3 g	≈ 1 tsp
salt for the pasta water	≈ 15 g	≈ 1 tbsp

≈ amount suggested from similar recipes

Tools & equipment

Item	UAEamazon.ae	USamazon.com
Camera Dji Osmo Pocket 3	🛒 Buy	🛒 Buy
Ultrean Digital Food Scale	🛒 Buy	🛒 Buy
Oxo Good Grips 11-pound Digital Kitchen Food	🛒 Buy	🛒 Buy
Salt	🛒 Buy	🛒 Buy
Cookbook Fresh Pasta	🛒 Buy	🛒 Buy

Also used: pasta pot · large frying pan · whisk · grater

Method

Render the guanciale slowly in a cold pan until golden and crisp; turn off the heat.
Whisk the yolks, egg, most of the Pecorino and plenty of pepper into a thick cream.
Cook the rigatoni in lightly salted water until al dente; keep a cup of pasta water.
Toss the pasta in the guanciale fat off the heat.
Add the egg cream with a splash of pasta water and toss quickly until silky (keep it below 70°C (160°F) so the eggs do not scramble).
Serve with the rest of the Pecorino and more pepper.

👨‍🍳 Chef’s tips

Work off the heat: the pasta's warmth cooks the eggs into a cream.

📱 Scan to watch me cook ityoutu.be/3qnmB3KXbocEvery step on video, and new recipes every week: subscribe on YouTube.

Nutrition per portion estimate · 1 of 4

680kcal

28 gprotein

72 gcarbs

30 gfat

Allergens

GlutenEggsMilk

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▶ Watch me cook it: youtu.be/3qnmB3KXboc

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