Spaghetti carbonara, a great classical Roman and Lazio cuisine

Spaghetti carbonara are a true symbol of Roman cuisine, and more in general of Lazio. Loved throughout the world, this creamy regional recipe boasts rivers of imitations and unleash always diatribes on its origin and on the correct version. The basic ingredients are those to the cuisine of the poor: eggs, pork jowl or bacon, pecorino cheese, wisely united in a mix of fairy tale, a delight for the palate that is difficult to resist. Excellent with spaghetti, Carbonara is also suitable for other pasta kinds, rigatoni and half sleeves are the most popular choices in typical trattorias Romane. Before discovering all the councils to bring to the table of spaghetti carbonara perfect, let’s review the most accredited theories on their history.

Story of carbonara

The history of the pasta carbonara is one of the most fascinating and mysterious of Italian cuisine. The hypothesis most accredited brings the birth of spaghetti carbonara upon arrival in the Lazio Region of Anglo-American troops during the second world war. In the manuals of Roman cuisine there is no trace of the Carbonara until 1944, is therefore likely that the preparation is started only with the arrival of the bacon, one of the ingredients in the most familiar and easily available for soldiers, together with eggs and spaghetti. According to another school of thought the dish was created by Umbrian coalmen  dialect carbonari), which would then passed the recipe to the Romans in the course of 1800.

A third theory pulls in dance instead a possible Neapolitan origin, because of the similarity of the “spaghetti alla carbonara” with a recipe published by Ippolito Cavalcanti in a manual of 1837. The use of the egg at the end of the cooking time is also typical of other first Neapolitans like pasta with courgettes and that with the peas. Creamy, tasty and nutritious, carbonara remains one of the best food of the regional cuisine, even outside of the Lazio. It is simple, just follow all of the advice indicated from the chef in the recipe.

Carbonara recipe

Ingredients for 4 serving

  • 400 grams of spaghetti;
  • 8 egg yolks;
  • 100 grams of grated roman pecorino;
  • 150 grams of guanciale; 
  • salt and black pepper.

Method

In a pan over a gentle heat browned the pork jowl cut into thin slices until golden and crunchy, preserves some piece to the part to be used as decoration. Pour the egg yolks into a bowl and beat with a fork adding pecorino cheese, a small portion of melted fat from the hot pork and freshly ground pepper.

Cook the spaghetti al dente, Drain and blend in the pan with the jowl for a few seconds. To fire off add the beaten egg and mix it all. Serving  spaghetti alla carbonara with more pecorino, freshly ground pepper and the pieces of crispy guanciale. 

Info autore
Ciro Cristian Panzella