How long does it take to make Pasta Carbonara?
Fry the bacon about three minutes, until golden brown.
20 minTotal
10 minActive time
10 minSetting
Step by Step
| # | What to do | How long |
|---|
| 1 | Cook the pasta in plenty of boiling salted water (4¼ cups of water and a heaping teaspoon of salt for every 4 oz of pasta), following the package directions (taste about 2 minutes early) | 10 min |
| 2 | Reserve cup of the cooking water before draining | — |
| 3 | Drain | 3 min |
| 4 | Heat the wide pan over medium heat and fry the bacon, stirring | 3 min |
| 5 | In a bowl, whisk the yolks, cheese and black pepper | 1 min |
| 6 | Turn off the heat under the pan, immediately add the hot drained pasta and toss it in the fat | 1 min |
| 7 | Add the yolk mixture and toss quickly with a little of the cooking water | 1 min |
| 8 | Serve immediately with freshly ground black pepper on top | 1 min |
How to Tell It's Done
- until al dente
- until the bacon is crisp
- until a creamy sauce coats the pasta
Tips
- The cooking water is starchy: a spoonful or two binds the sauce to the pasta or the gnocchi and makes it glossy.
- The eggs go in only off the heat: the heat of the pasta and the cooking water thickens them into a sauce, while a lit flame turns them into scrambled eggs.
Common Mistakes
- The water should taste like a seasoned soup, not like sea water: a heaping teaspoon of salt per liter. Add the salt once the water is boiling.
- What you brown (meat, patties, schnitzel) goes into hot oil: in lukewarm oil it soaks it up and comes out greasy. For onion and garlic that you soften, oil heated over medium or low heat is enough; do not wait for it to smoke.
More Ways
- 4 egg yolks for every 400 g spaghetti, with about 100 g grated cheese (pecorino or Parmesan); guanciale, or pancetta or bacon instead, preferably unsmoked.
- Toss the pasta in the pan with a little cooking water, turn off the heat, and only then add the yolk mixture and toss well so it doesn't scramble.
The full recipe: Pasta Carbonara →
Recipes with Pasta Carbonara
All questions
