Why no cream in carbonara?

The sauce gets its creaminess from the egg yolks and starchy pasta water, not dairy cream. Cream weighs the dish down and masks the flavor of the guanciale and Pecorino. Real Roman carbonara has never had cream in it. The cream version is a French and American addition from the 1960s.

Can I use bacon instead of guanciale or pancetta?

Yes, but the dish will taste smoky in a way the original isn't. Use thick-cut unsmoked bacon if you can find it. Pancetta is a much closer substitute and worth tracking down.

What's the difference between carbonara, cacio e pepe, and gricia?

All three are Roman pasta dishes that share ingredients. Cacio e pepe is just pasta, Pecorino, and black pepper. Gricia adds guanciale to cacio e pepe. Carbonara adds egg yolks to gricia. They build on each other in that order.

Yolks give a richer, more luxurious sauce. Whole eggs work too and are more traditional in Rome, but I find the yolks-only version closer to what we served in the restaurant.

How do I keep the eggs from scrambling?

Take the pan off the heat before you add the eggs. Toss the hot pasta in the pan with the rendered fat first, then add the eggs and cheese off the heat. The residual heat is enough to cook the yolks into a sauce without curdling them.

Where can I buy guanciale?

Italian specialty butchers, well-stocked supermarkets in cities with large Italian populations, and online (Eataly, D'Artagnan, and Amazon all carry it). If you can't find it, pancetta is the right substitute.

Spaghetti alla Carbonara

Name: Spaghetti alla Carbonara Recipe
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 25 min
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons olive oil; 2 tablespoons butter; 2 shallots, chopped fine; 4 ounces guanciale or pancetta, chopped coarsely; 1/4 cup white wine; 1 pound spaghetti; 4 large egg yolks; 1/2 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese; freshly ground black pepper to taste

Ingredients

Scale

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
2 shallots, chopped fine
4 ounces guanciale or pancetta, chopped coarsely
1/4 cup white wine
1 pound spaghetti
4 large egg yolks
1/2 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese
freshly ground black pepper to taste

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Instructions

Heat olive oil and butter in a large sautè pan over medium-high heat. Add the guanciale or pancetta and cook until the fat starts to render about 3 minutes. Then add the shallots and continue to cook until the shallots are translucent and the guanciale is browned and crispy, 3-4 minutes.
Add the wine, bring to a boil and cook until reduced by half, 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat while you cook the pasta.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add the spaghetti. Cook uncovered over high heat until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water. Drain and add the pasta to the sautè pan and place it back over medium heat.
Add the egg yolks, Pecorino Romano cheese, black pepper and reserved pasta water, and stir vigorously until pasta is well coated and creamy. Transfer to individual pasta dishes and serve with extra Pecorino Romano cheese on the side.

Prep Time: 5 mins
Cook Time: 20 mins
Cuisine: Italian, Roman