“Don’t slice the guanciale too thin!” Swiss chef Ralph Schelling warns as he walks us through his recipe for Rome’s quintessential pasta. “The fat needs time to slowly render, crisping up the meaty parts. Perfectly roasted guanciale should be juicy and tender inside, crisp outside. We definitely don’t want burnt, dry guanciale.” And needless to say—substituting pancetta is not an option.
One of Italy’s most iconic culinary treasures, pasta alla carbonara has wooed lovers, soothed broken hearts, and inspired trepidatious cooks since its creation. The Eternal City is flooded with incredible versions (Ralph is partial to SantoPalato’s), but it’s an easy—and impressive—one to make at home. You can choose whichever pasta shape you like, though spaghetti, rigatoni, and mezze maniche are best (according to us and the Romans). Unlike much of Italian cooking, this recipe leaves little room for improvisation—unless you opt for egg yolks only, which Ralph calls “the silkiest, but most decadent” variation.
PASTA ALLA CARBONARA
Recipe by Ralph Schelling
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
- 180g guanciale
- 350g dried spaghetti, rigatoni, or mezze maniche
- 4 eggs
- 3 tablespoons Parmigiano Reggiano, freshly grated
- 3 tablespoons Pecorino Romano, freshly grated
- Salt, to taste
- 3-4 turns of cracked black pepper
- Extra virgin olive oil, optional
PREPARATION
- Cut the guanciale into not-too-fine cubes and add to a cold pan. Place over medium heat, and render the fat and fry (in its own fat, nothing else) until crispy. Set the entire pan aside.
- Meanwhile, bring a salted pot of water to boil. Cook the pasta until al dente—definitely not too soft, as the pasta will continue to cook later. Toward the end of cooking, reserve about 1-2 cups of cooking water.
- While the pasta is boiling, beat the eggs in a small bowl together with the Parmigiano and Pecorino. Add a little salt and black pepper.
- A few minutes before the pasta is al dente, reheat the guanciale. Add a bit of reserved cooking water (you can always add more) and the pasta. Bring to a boil and mix well, for about 1-2 minutes.
- Then, reduce the heat to a minimum and add the egg-cheese mixture. Stir together and allow to set slightly, so that the mixture gently coats the pasta. Turn off the heat.
- Serve immediately, with more grated cheese and a drizzle of olive oil, if you desire.
