There are many variations of this dish, but this recipe is fairly true to the roots of it’s Italian heritage. The mushrooms and peas are my own embellishments, but complement the sauce well.
You really only need four basic ingredients to make traditional Carbonara: Pecorino Romano cheese, eggs, black pepper and guanciale (or pancetta, bacon, etc.). Plus, you can prepare it in the short time it takes the pasta to cook.
Here’s how this one came together for two nice servings:
Fresh pasta, thick fettuccine style
Olive oil & rendered bacon fat
Several mushrooms
Pecorino Romano cheese
Black pepper
2 eggs plus one yolk
1 garlic clove
3 pieces of thin sliced Serrano ham
Handful of peas
Put on pasta water to boil and cook to “Al Dente” directions. While the water is heating up, melt a heaping spoonful of bacon fat in a medium sauté pan drizzled with olive oil.
Wash, slice and add the mushrooms to the pan over medium heat. Add a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper all over the mushrooms. Gently crush the garlic clove so the skin cracks add it to the pan; leave skin attached and do not chop up the clove because you’ll be removing it later. Check on boiling water and add pasta if ready.
While the mushrooms are cooking, scramble 2 whole eggs and one extra yolk in a bowl and then grate in a generous helping of Pecorino Romano cheese. It’s hard to say how much, so taste the cheese beforehand and use your judgement. A good guess is probably a 1/2 cup grated. Whisk all together in the bowl with the eggs and set aside.
Now chop up the Serrano ham and add the the pan. Keep things moving around to prevent burning and get the ham to crisp up. Notice there has been no additional of salt because there should be plenty coming from the bacon fat, ham and cheese.
By now, the mushrooms should be tender and pasta should be just about done. Turn off the heat on the pan and toss in the peas. Use tongs to add a couple servings of the hot pasta right from boiling water into the pan and toss to incorporate. Use a little pasta water sparingly to loosen things up if needed.
With the pasta in the pan, removed from the heat, pour in the egg and cheese mixture and use tongs to mix it all together quickly so the eggs cook from the residual heat but don’t turn into an scrambled omelette.
Serve immediately and finish with more grated cheese and fresh ground pepper.
For a milder taste, use Parmesan cheese instead of Pecorino Romano. It will work just the same but won’t be as strong in flavor.