Recipe of a Week: Danger's REAL Roman Carbonara

... Cash rules everything around me, C.R.E.A.M. get the money, dollar, dollar bill, ya'll.... Cash rules everything around me, C.R.E.A.M. get the money, dollar, dollar bill ya'll....

Sorry, Wu-Tang, but today there will be NO cream. And do you know why? Because unlike the bastard (no relation to Ol' Dirty...) versions of carbonara most people have run into outside of Italy, true carbonara does not use any milk or cream. How do they achieve that amazing, creamy sauce then you ask? By following this deliciously simple recipe below for true spaghetti carbonara.




It's extremely important to think about what you are preparing when you make a true spaghetti carbonara: a peasant food from Roman kitchens. It's simple and to the point: Pancetta bacon, spaghetti, eggs, and cheese. It couldn't be any easier, and it doesn't need to be dressed up with things like peas and cream as you find on most menus these days. So just stick to the basics, it always turns out better.

Ingredients: 

4 portions of spaghetti (approximately 300g of dry pasta)
2 large or 3 medium eggs
1 clove of garlic
150 g of Pancetta, cut into cubes (you can use good back bacon as a substitute if you can't find real Italian Pancetta)
50 g fresh Parmesan cheese
50 g fresh Pecorino cheese
Fresh ground pepper

Preparation:

Start off by placing the spaghetti noodles in salted, boiling water and cook as usual. While the pasta is cooking, prepare the eggs and cheese.

It is extremely important to use only fresh grated cheese, not packaged pre-grated cheese. If you're going that route, you may as well just eat a frozen dinner. Real Italian cheeses should always be eaten fresh. Grate the cheeses into a bowl with the eggs, and crush lots of fresh black pepper into it. Whisk together thoroughly and set aside.

In a large saucepan, heat 1 Tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Add the Pancetta cubes and garlic. Cook until the pancetta is just starting to brown (but don't let it become crispy), and remove the garlic clove. Set to the side.

As soon as the spaghetti are finished cooking, drain well, and throw into a large saucepan over medium heat. Toss gently and add your whisked egg/cheese mixture. Continue tossing until the eggs just start to thicken and begin to create a creamy sauce that sticks to the pasta. Remove from the heat and mix in the pancetta.

Serve hot and fresh in pasta dishes, and feel free to garnish with a bit of fresh parsley or basil, as well as more fresh black pepper and fresh Parmesan cheese. And enjoy!

That's really it. It's one of the simplest, yet tastiest Italian dishes you can make. So while Method Man and his boys may think that cream is where it's at, this homeboy must humbly beg to differ.