Authentic Carbonara Recipe (Without Cream!)

Ingredients

• 4 1/2 ounces linguine (or spaghetti, or any pasta of your choice)
• 3.5 ounces bacon ((or pancetta) chopped - thick cut smoked bacon is best (or lardons))
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 garlic cloves (peeled but left whole)
• 2 eggs (lightly whisked)
• 1/3 cup parmesan cheese ((or pecorino or parmigiano-reggiano), finely grated )
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• a little chopped fresh parsley (optional)
• simple green salad; OR
• green vegetables

Instructions

1. 1

   Cook pasta.: Cook the pasta according to the cooking instructions until 'al dente'. Whisk half of the parmesan into the eggs, grind in some salt and pepper, and set aside.

2. 2

   Cook bacon.: While the pasta cooks, melt the butter in a large frying pan. Add the bacon/pancetta and garlic cloves and let cook, stirring often, for 5 - 10 minutes until golden and starting to crisp. Then discard the garlic.

3. 3

   Take pan off heat.: Take about half of the bacon out of the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside. Leave the bacon juices behind. Take the pan off the heat (very important!).

4. 4

   Add pasta to pan.: Use kitchen tongs or a spaghetti server spoon to lift the pasta straight out of the cooking water and into the bacon pan.

5. 5

   Toss eggs into pasta.: As quickly as you can, pour the eggs and parmesan mixture over the hot pasta in the pan. Also add a little more pasta cooking water. Briefly toss everything together so that the eggs just cook (without scrambling!).

6. 6

   Assemble the dish.: Quickly serve out a little of the pasta onto each dish. Top with a little of the reserved bacon and parmesan and grind over a little more salt and pepper. Top this layer with more pasta and the rest of the bacon and parmesan.

7. 7

   Serve immediately.: Scatter with a little fresh parsley if using. Serve immediately by itself or with a simple green salad or green vegetables.