The origin of the real Carbonara Pasta

Let's start with the basics: Ada Boni, one of the greatest experts on Roman cuisine, does not talk about carbonara pasta in her famous 1930 manual, leaving various roads open to understand what is really the origin of this dish that has become a traditional dish.

According to some, the carbonara arrived in Rome and Lazio after the liberation of Rome in 1944 when the Americans introduced bacon and freeze-dried eggs into Italy: an explanation which, however, is not too convincing since the primary element of this recipe is the guanciale and not the bacon. In fact, however, if we want to analyze the issue well, we must consider that the American origin of this dish would also explain the presence of cream and butter in some versions of the carbonara: the soldiers, according to some reconstructions, carried condensed milk with them which "lengthened" the seasoning of the pasta to make it more creamy.

1944 when the Americans introduced bacon and freeze-dried eggs into Italy

Another theory attributes the dish to the Neapolitan area, also considering the presence of a fairly similar dish in the text Ippolito Cavalcanti's Theoretical and practical kitchen and the presence, in Neapolitan cuisine, of dishes that are seasoned using the same identical ingredients.

Another highly accredited theory argues instead that the carbonara derives directly from the cheese and eggs of Lazio and Abruzzo and that it was born thanks to the woodsmen who carried eggs, pecorino and guanciale in their bags and prepared the pasta during their migrations; the pepper was not added posthumously but was used to preserve the cheek and then ended up in the dish during cooking, determining its dark color. To support this thesis also the word "carbonara" which closely resembles "carbonada", an Abruzzese term used to refer to pancetta.

The origin of the carbonara is therefore quite unknown and it is also for this reason that its fame has probably grown over time.

Pasta alla carbonara is a typical recipe of Rome and province whose origin dates back to not too many years ago and is, today as said above, still unclear: clearly there is a recipe that is replicated everywhere and often with aberrations that they completely upset it. We try to reconstruct the history of carbonara pasta and its origins and then get to the original recipe of Roman carbonara pasta.

The pasta shapes most used for carbonara pasta are penne and above all spaghetti that keep cooking and mix well with the ingredients. Although many prepare carbonara pasta with cream, the recipe does not include either this ingredient or onion, garlic or parsley without considering chicken and meat that is not pillow. An excellent carbonara pasta recipe can be found in the handbook of Livio Jannattoni Roman and Lazio cuisine where the author confirms that for carbonara pasta it is not necessary to use guanciale for strength but pancetta is also fine.

In fact, do you know that only amatriciana pasta should use pancetta and never guanciale? For the carbonara, both can be used, making sure to fry the pancetta in a little oil if you choose to use this ingredient instead of the guanciale, which instead requires no oil.

How to prepare carbonara pasta following the original Roman recipe?

Ingredients for 2 people

1 egg yolk per person

200 grams of pasta

100 grams guanciale

50 grams of pecorino romano

salt

pepper grounded in a mortar

Take the guanciale and cut it into squares then brown and caramelize it in a pan and turn off when it is hardened and well roasted on the outside. Take the guanciale out of the pan an leave in the oil

While the pasta is cooking in salted water, beat the eggs yolks and add a good handful of pecorino to get a good "slightly thick" paste; drain the pasta 2 minutes before al dente and reserve some of the cooking water beside. Pour the pasta into the pan where the bacon has been browned and let the sauce absorb, mixing with a wooden spoon.

Pour the egg paste together with the cooking water mix it and then pour it into the pan with the pasta and the oil. Like this that the egg coagulates but does not become like an omelette so this operation must be done with the stove of. Stir it well add some more pecorino and some more of the cooking water and stir it until you get a creamy sauce. At the end you add the guanciale and add the grounded pepper and serve it on preheated plates.

I personally put one egg yolk in the eggshell on top of the served Carbonara to stir in when served by the guest. It makes it even more creamy.

The result is a compact, soft, tasty and appetizing carbonara pasta is an absolute pleasure. Spaghetti loves this dressing and if you add pecorino directly on the plate the taste is exceptional.