Carbonara, one of the most celebrated dishes in Italian cuisine, is a dish that embodies the essence of the Roman culinary tradition. With its creamy sauce enriched with crispy bacon and pecorino cheese, Carbonara is a masterpiece of simplicity and flavour. One of the most widespread legends has it that the dish originated after World War II, when the Americans, who were present in Rome, allegedly introduced bacon and eggs into the local cuisine. However, this theory has been widely disputed by culinary scholars. Other hypotheses suggest that Carbonara may have been created by coal miners, mine workers who used ingredients such as eggs, bacon and cheese to prepare a hearty and calorific meal. Regardless of its exact origins, Carbonara has become a mainstay of Roman cuisine over the years, loved by locals and tourists alike.
But how to prepare it without giving Italians a heart attack? Carbonara is a surprisingly simple dish requiring only a few high-quality ingredients, yet many get these few simple steps wrong. The key elements include guanciale (pork cheek), eggs, pecorino romano cheese, black pepper and a pasta between bucatini or rigatoni (as you can see, there is no cream!!). Preparation begins by browning the bacon or guanciale in a frying pan until crispy and golden. Meanwhile, the eggs are beaten in a bowl and mixed with plenty of grated cheese and freshly ground black pepper. Once the spaghetti is cooked al dente, it is drained and added directly to the pan with the bacon, where it is mixed with a little of the pasta cooking water. Finally, the egg and cheese sauce is added to the pasta and stirred vigorously until a creamy, enveloping texture is created.
Carbonara is more than just a pasta dish: it is a symbol of Roman cuisine and the Italian culinary art as a whole that continues to win the hearts and palates of anyone who has the pleasure of tasting it. Whether enjoyed in its classic form or in a creative variant, Carbonara remains a true gastronomic treasure that deserves to be appreciated the world over, but also respected!