Name: Carbonara
Prep time: 20 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 4 Servings
Ingredients: 150 g guanciale (Cured pork jowl (Bacon is a desperate substitute)); 80 g egg yolks (Plus 1 whole egg (whisked with cheese)); 100 g pecorino romano (Aged sheep's cheese (Salty/Funky)); 400 g spaghetti (Thick cut)

Question 1

Why is my Carbonara My sauce has little bits of cooked egg in it, like scrambled eggs.?

Accepted Answer

My sauce has little bits of cooked egg in it, like scrambled eggs.. Ah, that means the pan was a bit too hot when you added the eggs. Don't worry, it happens. For next time, try this: have a metal bowl ready, set it over your pot of pasta water – like a bain-marie. Mix your egg and cheese in there. It gives you a gentle, controlled heat that’s much safer. You'll get that silky sauce every time.

Question 2

Why is my Carbonara My sauce is too thin and runny, it's not coating the pasta.?

Accepted Answer

My sauce is too thin and runny, it's not coating the pasta.. If the sauce is too thin, it just means it needs a little more coaxing to emulsify. Put the pan back on the lowest possible flame for just 10 seconds, tossing constantly. You're helping the egg, cheese, and pasta water come together into that beautiful, creamy sauce. You've got this.

Question 3

Why is my Carbonara My guanciale is burnt and bitter, or there's barely any rendered fat.?

Accepted Answer

My guanciale is burnt and bitter, or there's barely any rendered fat.. Okay, so the guanciale either cooked too fast or too high. For next time, remember to start it in a COLD pan. Then, bring the heat up to medium and let that fat render out slowly. It’s all about patience. If it's already burnt, we'll need to start fresh with the guanciale. If it just needs more fat, keep it on gentle heat.

Question 4

Why is my Carbonara My egg and cheese mixture is clumpy and won't make a smooth sauce.?

Accepted Answer

My egg and cheese mixture is clumpy and won't make a smooth sauce.. This usually happens if the cheese isn't fine enough or the mixture wasn't whisked well. Make sure your Pecorino Romano is grated super fine, almost like powder. Then, whisk those egg yolks and cheese together really well until it's a smooth, thick paste *before* you add any pasta water. If it's clumpy now, try whisking in just a tiny bit more hot pasta water off the heat to loosen it up.

Question 5

Why is my Carbonara The sauce is clumpy and eggy, not creamy and smooth.?

Accepted Answer

The sauce is clumpy and eggy, not creamy and smooth.. That tells me the pan was still too hot when the egg mixture went in. The residual heat from the pasta and the pan is usually enough to cook the eggs perfectly. Make sure the pan is completely off the heat *before* you add the tempered egg mixture. If it's already clumpy, you can try whisking in a little more hot pasta water off the heat to help smooth it out, but it might not get back to that perfect silky texture.

Carbonara

Carbonara

Carbonara Has A Titleholder

The Setup

The Mise en Place

The Protein (0/2)

The Pantry (0/1)

Other (0/1)

If Things Go Wrong

My sauce has little bits of cooked egg in it, like scrambled eggs.

My sauce is too thin and runny, it's not coating the pasta.

Chef's Notes

The Method

RENDER

TEMPER

TOSS (Off Heat)

EMULSIFY

Related Techniques

Pasta Water Emulsification

Temperature-Controlled Frying

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