Pasta Carbonara With Pancetta

"This version relies on egg yolks, finely grated Parmesan cheese, rendered pancetta fat, and starchy pasta water-nothing more. As the pancetta cooks, its savory, aromatic drippings become the backbone of the dish, while a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper keeps the richness in check. The key is timing. The eggs and cheese are whisked together off heat, then gently tossed with hot pasta until silky and emulsified, never scrambled."

"Pancetta vs. guanciale:Guanciale is the traditional choice for carbonara and has a richer, spicier flavor, but milder pancetta is widely used, easier to find in American grocery stores, and works beautifully. You can also use thick-cut American bacon, but note the flavor will be quite different, as these Italian cured pork products are not smoked. Want a version without pork? Try mushroom carbonara."

"How do you keep pasta carbonara from scrambling?Use low heat and constant motion. Temper the eggs with warm pasta water, then toss everything together just until the sauce turns glossy. What pasta shape works best?We like big tubes of mezze rigatoni, but you could use conchiglie (shell-shaped pasta), cavatappi (spiraled pasta tubes), pipe rigate (snail-shell pasta), or any medium shape that traps the sauce and catches bits of pancetta. Want to use long pasta? Look to this recipe for Spaghetti Carbonara."

Pasta carbonara is a Roman pasta made from egg yolks, hard cheese, cured pork fat, starchy pasta water, and black pepper; cream is not used. Rendered pancetta fat and its aromatic drippings form the sauce backbone while freshly ground black pepper balances richness. Whisked eggs and cheese are combined off heat and tempered with warm pasta water, then tossed with hot pasta until the sauce becomes silky and emulsified without scrambling. Mezze rigatoni or other medium shapes that trap sauce work well. Guanciale and Pecorino Romano are traditional substitutions; mushroom carbonara is a pork-free alternative. The dish takes about 25 minutes.

Read at Bon Appetit