Spaghetti alla Carbonara (authentic low-fat and inauthentic not-so-low-fat versions!)

Spaghetti alla Carbonara is an egg based pasta dish from Italy. Here, I share my version, which is not authentic, but also share the authentic recipe so you can choose the one you prefer.

Before you read my ramblings below~

THIS PASTA IS SUPER QUICK AND SUPER EASY TO MAKE!

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What is Spaghetti alla Carbonara?

When I ask people if they’ve ever had Spaghetti alla Carbonara, and the answer is “no,”  I attempt to describe it as “spaghetti with bacon and eggs” and I get the strangest looks.

Well, I can imagine what they’re picturing, and maybe you’re picturing it too, but It’s not what you think, as you can see by the picture above.

Spaghetti alla Carbonara, or “Coal Miner’s Spaghetti” is a traditional Roman meal, and one of the best known from the central Italian region. Most people tend to believe the pasta is named after the coal workers, because it was a staple for those who collected wood in the Appenine Mountains to make charcoal.

Authentic (Quick) Italian Tomato Sauce Recipe for Pasta

There is also the theory that the quantity of bacon and powdered eggs that American soldiers had readily available during World War II was the inspiration for this pasta.

I tend to go with the former idea, but the fact is that this pasta is fantastic and I’m just glad someone thought of it!

Traditionally, this dish is made with guanciale which is Italian style bacon made from pig’s cheek, however, since it’s not easily obtained in the US, I usually use pancetta (you can make your own pancetta) or American bacon and it’s still delicious.

I also use cream and milk, which is definitely not authentic, but I just like a creamier, smoother and less “eggy” pasta.

Years ago, I was given a cookbook as a wedding gift, called The Top One Hundred Pasta Sauces by Diane Seed. As a British born cook living in Italy (lucky duck!) she compiled 100 pasta sauce recipes in this very simple book. After reading her inauthentic version of Spaghetti alla Carbonara, I just had to try it.

Well, I sort of tried it.

I just couldn’t bring myself to use the quantity of the ingredients she listed!!

Being from Lazio (central Italy), my mother often made her version of Spaghetti alla Carbonara, but she would only use about 2 eggs and a little milk for a pound of pasta.

In contrast to my mother’s, here is Diane Seed’s recipe for a pound of pasta:

• 5 eggs
• 4 oz heavy cream
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 oz butter
• 7 oz bacon
• 4 oz grated Parmigiano or Pecorino Romano cheese
• salt and pepper

Can you say “HEART ATTACK ON A PLATE!?” Make sure to have a doctor nearby if you decide to make this version; you’ve been duly warned. Not to mention she lived in Rome and had the audacity to say this is Carbonara with all that cream and butter in the recipe-yikes!

I’m far enough away from Rome to commit a slightly less heinous crime. I do only make it once in a while because it still is rather high in fat and cholesterol. It is so creamy, delicious, and flavorful, and is also a nice change from using tomato sauce.

For those of you who want to cut calories/cholesterol, I will post a lower-fat, authentic version of the ingredients immediately following the first recipe.

Spaghetti all Carbonara
Christina’s Not-so-Low-Fat, Non-Authentic version

• 6 rashers of lean bacon, chopped into pieces (I use kitchen scissors) or pancetta
• 3 eggs
• 2 ounces heavy (whipping) cream
• about 6 to 8 oz milk, whole
• 1 ounce grated Pecorino Romano cheese (do not use a lower quality substitute)
• salt and black pepper
• 1 lb of good quality spaghetti

Start boiling salted water for pasta in a very large pot (pasta needs a lot of water to cook properly.)

Next, fry the bacon pieces until cooked, but not crispy. It should look like this.

Pasta should be in the water and starting to cook by this point.

Beat the 3 eggs in a 2 cup pyrex jug. Add the cream, and fill with milk up to 16 oz. Stir well, and add some salt and quite a bit of black pepper.

When the pasta is al dente, drain it and reserve some water, and put back in the same pot and back on the burner, over the lowest heat possible (just warm.) Now add the egg mixture from the pyrex jug.

Start to stir and then add the bacon pieces. Add some of the pasta water if needed.

Now add the grated cheese, and stir well to combine evenly. The eggs will cook from the heat of the pasta, so quickly turn off the burner as soon as the sauce starts to thicken.

That’s it–it’s ready!

I have to admit, these aren’t photos of my own cooking. The truth is, my son made dinner tonight (yes, my 18 year old son made this). Both he and my daughter were starving, so I was rushed into dishing out the pasta for my photos. I didn’t get enough sauce mixed up from the bottom, but you can still see how creamy and delicious it looks!

Spaghetti Alla Carbonara
(lower fat authentic version)

• 6 oz guanciale (since most of you are in the US, just use pancetta if you can’t find guanciale, or even 6 or 7 rashers of lean bacon) chopped into pieces
• 3 or 4 egg yolks
• 1 ounce grated real Pecorino Romano (remember, it’s a Roman dish)
• salt and black pepper
• 1 lb of high quality spaghetti

Follow directions exactly as above, omitting the milk/cream.

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Spaghetti alla Carbonara (authentic low-fat and inauthentic not-so-low-fat versions!)

Yield: 6

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

My version of a Carbonara recipe. It includes milk and cream, which is taboo in Italian Carbonara recipes; it is NOT authentic.

Print

Ingredients

• 6 rashers of lean bacon, chopped into pieces (I use kitchen scissors) or pancetta
• 3 eggs
• 2 ounces heavy (whipping) cream
• milk, whole
• 1 ounce grated Pecorino Romano cheese (do not use a lower quality substitute)
• salt and black pepper
• 1 lb of good quality spaghetti

Instructions

Start boiling salted water for pasta in a very large pot (pasta needs a lot of water to cook properly.)

Next, fry the bacon pieces until cooked, but not crispy. It should look like this.

Pasta should be in the water and starting to cook by this point.

Beat the 3 eggs in a 2 cup pyrex jug. Add the cream, and fill with milk up to 16 oz. Stir well, and add some salt and quite a bit of black pepper.

When the pasta is al dente, drain it and reserve some water, and put back in the same pot and back on the burner, over the lowest heat possible (just warm.) Now add the egg mixture from the pyrex jug.

Start to stir and then add the bacon pieces. Add some of the pasta water if needed.

Now add the grated cheese, and stir well to combine evenly. The eggs will cook from the heat of the pasta, so quickly turn off the burner as soon as the sauce starts to thicken. That's it--it's ready!

 

Notes

Nutrition info is for the inauthentic, cream version of this recipe. The authentic version will have fewer calories, fat, etc.Spaghetti Alla Carbonara

(lower fat authentic version)

• 6 oz guanciale (since most of you are in the US, just use pancetta if you can't find guanciale, or even 6 or 7 rashers of lean bacon) chopped into pieces
• 3 or 4 egg yolks
• 1 ounce grated real Pecorino Romano (remember, it's a Roman dish)
• salt and black pepper
• 1 lb of high quality spaghetti

Follow directions exactly as above, omitting the milk/cream.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1 bowl
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 895Total Fat: 50gCarbohydrates: 56gProtein: 52g

Did you make this recipe?

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