Pasta Carbonara – The Original Without Cream, Made in a Stainless Steel Sauté Pan

The original has no cream – the creaminess comes purely from egg, cheese, and pasta water. This recipe is the true Roman version: guanciale, pecorino, egg, pepper. The stainless steel sauté pan holds the temperature precisely – crucial for turning the egg into a silky cream rather than scrambled eggs.

Ingredients

• 200 g spaghetti or rigatoni
• 120 g guanciale or pancetta, diced
• 3 egg yolks + 1 whole egg
• 80 g Pecorino Romano, freshly grated
• 30 g Parmesan, grated
• Black pepper, freshly ground (generously!)
• Salt for the pasta water
• About 100 ml pasta water

Instructions

1. Egg and cheese cream: Whisk the egg yolks, whole egg, pecorino, and Parmesan together in a bowl. Add black pepper generously.
2. Fry the guanciale: Place the stainless steel sauté pan over medium heat (level 5–6) and add the guanciale without oil. Fry for 6–8 minutes until the fat has rendered and the pieces are golden brown and crisp. Turn off the heat.
3. Cook the pasta: Cook the spaghetti in well-salted water until al dente. Before draining, scoop out 200 ml of the pasta water.
4. Emulsify: Drain the pasta and add it immediately to the still-warm sauté pan with the guanciale. Remove the pan from the heat. Pour the egg and cheese cream over the pasta and toss quickly with tongs. Gradually add pasta water until a creamy sauce forms.
5. Serve: Plate immediately, topped with pecorino and plenty of black pepper.

Tips & Tricks

• Temperature is everything – The pan must be warm, but not hot. Too much heat → scrambled eggs.
• Pasta water is the key – Its starch binds the sauce.
• Guanciale > bacon – The difference is significant.

Serving Suggestion

Freshly grated pecorino, plenty of black pepper – and nothing else.

Nutritional Values (per serving)

Now cook with the right BIOL cookware.
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