Skip to content

Robert St. John

Restaurateur, author, enthusiastic traveler, & world-class eater.

Pasta Carbonara

No peas, no cream. That’s real Pasta Carbonara.

Ingredients

1 lb.  Dry spaghetti pasta
1 gallon Water
¼ cup + ½ tsp Kosher salt
3 TB Extra virgin olive oil
½ lb. Guanciale or Pancetta, medium diced
2 cups Parmigianino Reggiano, shredded
1 tsp Fresh ground black pepper
4 each Whole large eggs, beaten slightly, at room temperature
½ cup Warm pasta water

Instructions

Cook the spaghetti using the instructions on the package.

Heat the oil in a small skillet on medium heat. Add pancetta and stir frequently until cooked, about 6-8 minutes. Allow to cool slightly.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the eggs, grated cheese, remaining ½ tsp salt, black pepper, and pasta water (if the water is too hot you might want to add it in small amounts so the eggs won’t scramble). Mix well. Add hot spaghetti. Add the cooked pancetta and its oil over the pasta and combine thoroughly.

Divide among 6-8 serving bowls.

Recent Recipes

Basic Grits

These grits are anything but basic. The recipe uses heavy cream and chicken stock. Basic grits use just water. I probably should have named this recipe Not So Basic Grits.

Read more

Smoked Duck and Grits

My brother is an avid duck hunter and I was thinking of him when we were testing this recipe. The grits say “basic” though they’re anything but basic. They are very rich, but so good, and perfect for this recipe. The caramelized onions are an equal player in this three-component game.

Read more

Stewed Squid

In a 2 quart sauce pan, heat the oil over medium and sweat the garlic and the crushed red pepper…

Read more