Description
A foolproof, kid-friendly authentic Italian carbonara recipe featuring crispy pancetta, eggs, and cheese. This hands-on cooking adventure is simple enough for families to make together, resulting in a creamy, restaurant-quality meal.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound (450g) Spaghetti or Rigatoni
- 2 tablespoons Salt (for pasta water)
- 4 large Eggs (room temperature)
- 1 cup (100g) Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
- 2 teaspoons Black Pepper, freshly cracked
- 8 ounces (225g) Pancetta, diced
- 2 tablespoons Fresh Parsley, chopped (optional)
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, grated cheese, and black pepper until a thick, yellow paste forms. Set aside.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente (8-10 minutes). Before draining, reserve 1 cup of pasta water. Drain pasta and set aside.
- While pasta cooks, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add diced pancetta and cook until golden and crispy, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat but leave the fat in the pan.
- Add the hot, drained pasta to the skillet with the pancetta and fat. Toss well to coat. Remove the skillet from the heat and let it cool for 1 minute.
- Slowly pour the egg and cheese mixture over the hot pasta, tossing constantly with tongs. The residual heat will gently cook the eggs into a creamy sauce. Add reserved pasta water if the sauce is too thick.
- Serve immediately in warm bowls, topped with extra grated cheese and black pepper.
Notes
The key to creamy carbonara is temperature control. Always remove the pan from the heat before adding the egg mixture to prevent scrambling. Use freshly grated cheese, as pre-grated cheese contains anti-caking agents that can make the sauce grainy. Save the starchy pasta water to help emulsify the sauce.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 3
- Sodium: 380
- Fat: 18
- Saturated Fat: 10
- Carbohydrates: 48
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 15
Keywords: carbonara, italian pasta, pancetta, kid-friendly recipes, family dinner, easy pasta, authentic carbonara, creamy pasta