{"id":"a672f8f6-05e6-416b-b95e-12953b982a5c","url":"https://recipestripper.com/recipes/a672f8f6-05e6-416b-b95e-12953b982a5c","source_url":"https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/ultimate-spaghetti-carbonara-recipe","title":"Ultimate spaghetti carbonara recipe","description":"Discover how to make traditional spaghetti carbonara. This classic Italian pasta dish combines a silky cheese sauce with crisp pancetta and black pepper.","servings":4,"servings_text":"4 servings","prep_time":"PT20M","cook_time":"PT15M","total_time":"PT35M","ingredients":[{"text":"100g pancetta","item":"pancetta","quantity":100,"unit":"g"},{"text":"50g pecorino cheese","item":"pecorino cheese","quantity":50,"unit":"g"},{"text":"50g parmesan","item":"parmesan","quantity":50,"unit":"g"},{"text":"3 large eggs","item":"large eggs","quantity":3},{"text":"350g spaghetti","item":"spaghetti","quantity":350,"unit":"g"},{"text":"2 plump garlic cloves peeled and left whole","item":"plump garlic cloves peeled and left whole","quantity":2},{"text":"50g unsalted butter","item":"unsalted butter","quantity":50,"unit":"g"},{"text":"sea salt and freshly ground black pepper","item":"sea salt and freshly ground black pepper"}],"instructions":[{"number":1,"text":"Put a large saucepan of water on to boil."},{"number":2,"text":"Finely chop the 100g pancetta, having first removed any rind. Finely grate 50g pecorino cheese and 50g parmesan and mix them together."},{"number":3,"text":"Beat the 3 large eggs in a medium bowl and season with a little freshly grated black pepper. Set everything aside."},{"number":4,"text":"Add 1 tsp salt to the boiling water, add 350g spaghetti and when the water comes back to the boil, cook at a constant simmer, covered, for 10 minutes or until al dente (just cooked)."},{"number":5,"text":"Squash 2 peeled plump garlic cloves with the blade of a knife, just to bruise it."},{"number":6,"text":"While the spaghetti is cooking, fry the pancetta with the garlic. Drop 50g unsalted butter into a large frying pan or wok and, as soon as the butter has melted, tip in the pancetta and garlic."},{"number":7,"text":"Leave to cook on a medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring often, until the pancetta is golden and crisp. The garlic has now imparted its flavour, so take it out with a slotted spoon and discard."},{"number":8,"text":"Keep the heat under the pancetta on low. When the pasta is ready, lift it from the water with a pasta fork or tongs and put it in the frying pan with the pancetta. Don’t worry if a little water drops in the pan as well (you want this to happen) and don’t throw the pasta water away yet."},{"number":9,"text":"Mix most of the cheese in with the eggs, keeping a small handful back for sprinkling over later."},{"number":10,"text":"Take the pan of spaghetti and pancetta off the heat. Now quickly pour in the eggs and cheese. Using the tongs or a long fork, lift up the spaghetti so it mixes easily with the egg mixture, which thickens but doesn’t scramble, and everything is coated."},{"number":11,"text":"Add extra pasta cooking water to keep it saucy (several tablespoons should do it). You don’t want it wet, just moist. Season with a little salt, if needed."},{"number":12,"text":"Use a long-pronged fork to twist the pasta on to the serving plate or bowl. Serve immediately with a little sprinkling of the remaining cheese and a grating of black pepper. If the dish does get a little dry before serving, splash in some more hot pasta water and the glossy sauciness will be revived."}],"date_published":"2026-10-30T11:25:27.244239+00:00","date_modified":"2026-10-30T11:25:27.244239+00:00"}