Italian style tagliatelle carbonara recipe

Fancy some pasta, but not just any old recipe? Real carbonara? Here at Les Cocottes, we’ve given you the recipe for tagliatelle carbonara, without cream or bacon, to share with you the real recipe from the Italian mum. Yes, some of us have Italian blood and find it hard to believe that cream can be added to this delicious, lighter recipe!

Ingredients 4 servings

• 400 g of tagliatelle
• 150 g guanciale (salted pork cheek, otherwise bacon, but no bacon)
• 4 egg yolks
• 1 whole egg
• 100g grated Pecorino Romano cheese (avoid Parmesan to be on the safe side)
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Salt (only for the cooking water)

Carbonara tagliatelle recipe steps

• Cut the guanciale into small pieces about 1 cm thick.
• Grate the Pecorino Romano to obtain a fine texture.
• Cook the tagliatelle in a large pan of boiling salted water until al dente (about one minute less than the packet instructions).
• While the pasta is cooking, heat a frying pan over a medium heat.
• Add the pieces of guanciale and cook until crisp, about 5 minutes.
• Remove the pan from the heat, leaving the melted fat in the pan as it will be added to the pasta.
• In a bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, whole egg and pecorino.
• Add plenty of ground black pepper. The mixture should be creamy but thick, without adding cream.
• When the pasta is ready, reserve and drain a cup of the pasta cooking water. Pour the pasta into the pan with the guanciale and fat (over a low heat).
• Stir in the egg sauce vigorously, adding a little of the pasta cooking water to obtain a smooth sauce that coats the pasta without being runny.
• Season to taste with a little more black pepper and serve immediately with extra pecorino.

Storing pasta carbonara

Pasta carbonara is best eaten fresh. However, it can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 or 2 days. The texture of the sauce may change, but it will still taste good. To reheat, gently heat the pasta in a frying pan with a little water to loosen the sauce. Pasta does not freeze, so the texture will become grainy if you put it in the freezer.

How can I make a vegetarian version of this recipe?

You can substitute certain ingredients to make this recipe vegetarian if some of your friends or family don’t eat meat. Add grilled mushrooms for a similar flavour, or roasted vegetables or pieces of smoked tempeh. Then adjust the seasoning to compensate for the absence of guanciale, which usually adds a salty note.

The history of pasta carbonara

Pasta carbonara originated in Rome and its history is not entirely clear. Some claim that the dish originated after the Second World War, when American troops introduced eggs and bacon, which the Italians then incorporated into their cuisine. Others believe that Italian miners, the ‘carbonari’ (hence the name ‘carbonara’), used to eat a simple dish based on cheese, eggs and smoked pork.

In Italy, carbonara never contains cream. The richness of the sauce comes solely from the eggs and pecorino cheese. However, in France and other countries, the addition of cream has become common, often to simplify the texture of the sauce or to prevent it from overcooking. This adaptation, although popular, alters the original authenticity and flavour of the dish, which is based on the simplicity and quality of its ingredients.