Delicious Bucatini Carbonara The Italian Way

5 from 5 votes

Delicious Bucatini Carbonara The Italian Way

These perfectly al dente bucatini carbonara are prepared in less than twenty minutes and make a restaurant worthy dish. Egg yolks, guanciale, black pepper, and grated cheese is all you need to dress this incredibly delicious, traditional pasta dish.

Prep Time10

Cook Time10

Total Time20

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: portions

Calories: 592kcal

Author: Elle John

Ingredients

5 oz Bucatini or any pasta shape of choice
3 egg yolks
2 oz Guanciale or pancetta or bacon
4 tablespoon Freshly Grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan Cheese
¼ teaspoon Freshly Cracked Black Pepper
Salt to taste

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Prep time

Bring the eggs to room temperature. Once done, separate the yolks from the egg whites.
Mix the egg yolks, grated cheese, and black pepper in a mixing bowl. Set aside.
Thinly slice the guanciale into thin strips or squares.

Cooking time

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add your bucatini. Set a timer to ensure you cook the pasta until only al dente; follow the package directions for the time.
Add the guanciale to a cold large skillet. It is essential that the pan is cold, as while it warms up, the fat renders and fries the meaty part until perfectly crisp.
Warm up the pan on medium-low heat, until the outer part of the guanciale is crisp, while the inside is warm and juicy.
Remove the crispy guanciale bits from the pan and set them aside, leaving the fat in the pan.

Putting the Bucatini Carbonara Together

Take a cup of cooking water and set it aside for a minute or two.
Mix about three tablespoons of the pasta water with the egg mixture until you achieve a rich creamy sauce. That is your carbonara sauce!
When the pasta is one minute from being ready, reheat the fat in the skillet if it has gone cold, and remove it from the flame.
Drain the bucatini pasta and add them to the frying pan, quickly mixing them with the fat of the guanciale.
As soon as this is done [it shouldn't take more than 10-15 seconds], add the carbonara sauce to the pan and mix well.
Within seconds, the hot noodles will start thickening the sauce.
Serve immediately with a little more cheese on top, and enjoy!

Notes

Should your sauce not thicken when added to the hot pasta, bring the pan to a low flame and mix. Within very few seconds, it will thicken. This is not the traditional way of doing it, but I know the first time I was cooking this, I miscalculated the time and had to go down this route.
Grated parmigiano reggiano and grana padano are much milder than pecorino romano, so don't be shy to mix them up or use either of the two instead of pecorino.
Freshly ground black pepper is too fine and tends to overpower flavors, while cracked pepper is more subtle while offering some heat.
Use any shape of pasta you want, from spaghetti to penne; they all work, but ensure to cook them al dente.
If the pasta goes too dry, add more of the reserved pasta cooking water and mix until creamy.
Try to grate the cheese yourself. Pregrated cheese tends to have additives to keep it from sticking together in the package.
Bucatini carbonara or any carbonara can't be stored and should be eaten immediately. This sauce is unsuitable for reheating, so it should be eaten straight away.

Nutrition