Bucatini Carbonara with Guanciale and Extra Cheese
Bucatini carbonara is a classic Roman favorite, with a decadent addition of salty guanciale, creamy egg yolks and extra cheese!
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 598kcal
Cost: $15
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ pound guanciale cut into ¼ inch cubes
- ½ pound bucatini pasta
- Kosher salt
- 4 eggs + 1 egg yolk
- ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese + more for garnish
- ¼ cup of crumbled feta or Pecorino or combination of both
- ½ cup shredded mozzarella
- Freshly cracked black pepper
- ¼ cup reserved pasta cooking liquid from cooking pasta
Instructions
- Bring a skillet to medium heat and add olive oil and cubed guanciale. Cook on medium heat for about 8-10 minutes until pork is crisp and fat has rendered. Be sure to stir every so often to encourage even cooking and so the fat doesn't burn.
- Once done, remove pork to a plate and if you have excess fat, carefully pour some of it out.
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta.
- While the water comes to a boil, in a large bowl, whisk together the whole eggs and egg yolks, shredded cheese and a good few turns of black pepper.
- Once pasta is done cooking (I always taste as I go for al-dente), use tongs to left the pasta our of the water and add directly to the egg mixture.
- Use tongs and toss the pasta with the egg mixture for a few minutes until thickened. If it's too thick, add a few teaspoons of reserved pasta water and toss again. If it's too thin, continue mixing and it will thicken up.
- Add cooked guanciale and toss again. Taste for seasoning and add more salt and pepper and garnish with an extra shaving of Parmesan cheese.
Notes
Carbonara is a no cook sauce and the heat of the pasta is what gently cooks the eggs and melts the cheese. So be careful adding the sauce to a hot pan, which might cook the eggs too quickly, making them look curdled and not creamy smooth.
As with any pasta recipe, save some of the pasta cooking liquid and if your egg mixture is a bit thick, add a few teaspoons of water to thin out.
Have fun with cheese! Some of my favorite combinations are shredded mozzarella, crumbed feta, grated Parmesan and Pecorino, which is a hard sheeps milk cheese.
Nutrition
Calories: 598kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 37g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 218mg | Sodium: 602mg | Potassium: 198mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 421IU | Calcium: 227mg | Iron: 2mg