Carbonara
Often called the king of Roman pastas, carbonara is a staple in the Eternal City - Rome - and a dish close to our hearts.
My friend Juri (from Pesaro) and I spent countless hours perfecting our recipe. We used Italia Squisita, an all-Italian cookbook featuring top chefs’ takes on classic dishes, as our foundation. Half the fun was translating it - our copy is covered in notes and sauce stains!
Carbonara is a deceptively simple dish that demands precision. It’s made with egg (both whole eggs and extra yolks), Pecorino Romano (a nutty Roman sheep’s cheese), Parmesan, freshly ground black pepper, and Guanciale - a richly flavoured cured pork made from the cheek.
The magic of carbonara lies in the sauce. It’s created by emulsifying the egg mixture with starchy pasta water. In Roman kitchens, pasta is cooked to order in the same simmering water all day, building up starch that helps bind the sauce. At home, you can replicate this by cooking pasta in minimal water - or by adding a touch of starch yourself.
The pepper should be freshly ground and fine, adding gentle heat - not overpowering spice. Carbonara works beautifully with many pasta shapes: spaghetti, rigatoni, tagliatelle, penne. Dried pasta is traditional, but we love the silkiness of fresh.
Because of the salty cheese and cured meat, always taste before seasoning.
If you love our Carbonara, keep an eye out for its’ Roman cousins - Gricia (no egg) and Cacio e Pepe (no meat) coming to Pasta Purists “Editions” soon.
A small note about ours:
To help you enjoy a perfect carbonara at home - with no risk of scrambling - we add a touch of evaporated milk. It’s a tiny cheat that helps keep the sauce creamy when reheated. The proteins and salts in evaporated milk improve emulsification without compromising on flavour.
It's our way of bringing you a true Roman classic, made with care.