Carbonara: Heaven for pasta lovers

Image source: taste.com.au

Every pasta dish has its own personality. Italian-style spaghetti is fierce and flavorful. Lasagna is lazy but full of promise. Carbonara, when prepared well, is simply heavenly.


Carbonara is usually plays second choice to the typical tomato-based spaghetti, but it’s just as good. Here are some important steps to making your own carbonara.


First, gather your ingredients, which include ½ pound of linguine, 6 slices of bacon (preferably thick-cut and sliced into ¼-inch strips), 1 shallot (large and finely chopped), 2 eggs, 2 egg yolks (separate), ½ teaspoon of salt, ½ teaspoon of ground pepper, 2/3 cup of Pecorino cheese (grated), 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil, and finally 2/3 cup of parsley (flat lead).

Image source: myfussyeater.com

As a side note, the aforementioned ingredients are enough to prepare carbonara for six people.

Either fry or boil the linguine. Once it’s cooked, fry the bacon for five minutes in its own oil until brown and crispy. Transfer the bacon to another plate. You can use the bacon oil for more flavor when you add the shallot. Mix the shallot until it softens, which should take about two to three minutes.


Put the eggs, egg yolks, grated Pecorino, and salt and pepper in a bowl and whisk. Once it is well-mixed, drain the pasta, but keep a cup of water for cooking liquid. Put in the pasta, bacon, linguine, and oil the egg mix and toss.


The cooking liquid from the pasta will be used to keep the carbonara from drying. Parsley and cheese can be added if desired.

Janet Amos Pribanic aims to bring back life’s most special moments by sharing hearty recipes that remind her of the people who have touched her life. For more recipes like this, visit this page.