Spaghetti alla carbonara

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This simple, yet oh-so-luxurious, spaghetti alla carbonara recipe is always welcomed and makes a reassuring starter for any dinner party. The quantities given in Bryan Webb's recipe are starter-sized, but will serve three people as a main course. Plan carefully if making more dishes – this pasta recipe comes together quickly but it’s important that the hot drained pasta goes straight into the pan of bacon and is followed quickly by the creamy yolk mixture, as that needs to cook briefly in the residual heat.

Note that this is not a traditional carbonara recipe, as it contains pancetta instead of guanciale (cured pork cheek) and cream to create an extra rich sauce. If you're after the authentic, Italian version, take a look at our recipe on Great Italian Chefs.

First published in 2015

Ingredients

Metric

Imperial

Spaghetti carbonara

Method

1
Bring a pot of salted water to the boil to cook the pasta al dente, approximately 7-9 minutes. Meanwhile, cut the pancetta or bacon into matchsticks. Heat the olive oil in a large pan and fry the bacon slowly, so that it releases its own fat before becoming crispy. Season with some black pepper
2
In a mixing bowl, beat the egg yolks with the cream and season with salt and pepper. Stir in half the Parmesan cheese and set the remainder aside for garnish
3
Drain the cooked pasta thoroughly and immediately add to the pan of hot bacon. Pour in the cream mixture and stir to coat the pasta (the heat from the pasta will cook the egg slightly). Add the remaining Parmesan and serve
First published in 2015

Showcasing quality ingredients from his native Wales, Bryan Webb cooks French-inflected dishes that champion simplicity and gutsy flavour.

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