How to make the perfect Spaghetti Carbonara

Spaghetti Carbonara is one of my favourite pasta dishes. It’s been a family favourite of ours. My mum always used to make as a quick and easy dinner when we were all home from day. And when I went off to University, I’d make it for myself and then for my housemates. We got so good at it, sometimes instead of getting a a takeaway after a drunken student’s night out, we would stumbled home and make a Spaghetti Carbonara. 

So here is how I make my Spaghetti Carbonara. 

it’s as close to authentically Italian as you can get with everyday ingredients you have at home. Unlike the Spaghetti Carbonara you’d get at a chain restaurant in the UK such as ASK Italian or Zizzi. There is no creamy carbonara sauce. Just basic ingredients mixed together. 

I use the following. 

Bucatini Spaghetti, available at Sainsbury’s among others, it’s slightly thicker than normal spaghetti or linguine. 

I use bacon, just slice up rashers into small slivers. The Italians use Guanciale ham not easily available in the UK. You can use Pancetta, Bacon Lardons. 

and then there is the cheese. Parmesan is best. You can use some cheddar cheese for the bull of the cheese. Grate it and mix in with the pasta. 

I always have Parmesan and a fine Parmesan grater on the table to add extra Parmesan when sitting down to eat. 

And finally, I think, the key ingredient. Eggs. I personally think the key to a great Carbonara is an extra egg. If you are cooking for 2 people, use 1 per person and an extra eggs for the pot. If you were making it for 4 people then use 5 eggs, maybe even 6! 

Put your pasta on to cook. Use a large saucepan of boiling water and cook until soft. 10 minutes is normal. 

Fry your bacon while the pasta is cooking. 

Grate the cheese, crack your eggs into a bowl and scramble or mix with a fork. 

When the pasta is cooked. Drain it with a colander, return to the same pan, you can leave a little of the pasta water in the pan. Return the pasta to the pan, turn the heat off on your stove, it will stay hot enough to keep everything hot but not overcook. Add all your other ingredients. The eggs, cheese and bacon and mix thoroughly and add salt and pepper to taste. You do not want the egg to scramble, just to coat the pasta. you want the finished mixture in your pan to be moist. 

Serve in large bowls and add grated Parmesan at the table. 

And that’s it. A lovely, simple easy Spaghetti Carbonara. And close to authentically as you get with easy, convenient ingredients you can get in a British shop. 

The great thing about this, is it only takes about 20 to 30 minutes. And you only have 2 pans to wash, a frying pan and a saucepan.