It's impossible not to love carbonara. As always, the simplest traditional dishes are the ones that are the most highly debated. Staunch defenders of tradition won’t accept any reinterpretations of the classics, while free spirits like to mix it up. When it comes to carbonara, the former abide by the following “rules":
1. Use only guanciale, not pancetta.
2. Use only the egg yolks, no whites.
3. Use only Pecorino.
4. Additions such as cream, garlic, or onion are not welcome.
But we believe that experimenting with carbonara is half the fun. We've been doing it for decades – scroll all the way down for recipes ranging from classic to alternative.
Though the origins of carbonara are not clear, the very first traces of a carbonara recipe date back to the 1940s. Some hypothesize that its birth is linked to the charcoal burners in the Apennines, while others attribute it to American soldiers who arrived in Italy during World War II.
La Cucina Italiana was one of the first to publish a recipe for the dish – printed for the first time in the August 1954 issue. It's a classic carbonara recipe, though the ingredients differ slightly from those that comprise today's classic version – even the procedure deviates from the modern guidelines. For example, the recipe calls for adding the sauce to the pasta while still in the pan, though the “proper” method calls for seasoning the eggs over low heat first.
Even if the “right” way to make carbonara remains up for debate, the recipe isn't codified like other Italian specialties. Over time, techniques evolve and new ingredients get incorporated, which is how carbonara evolved into the recipe that today is considered “canonical.” In the 1950s, however, it was still a young recipe. Our original recipe is below followed by other takes on the classic.
The 1954 Spaghetti Carbonara Recipe from
Serves 4
Ingredients:
1 lb. spaghetti
6 oz. pancetta
4 oz. gruyere cheese
2 eggs
1 clove of garlic
Salt
Pepper
Method:
Heat plenty of salted water to cook the pasta. Chop the pancetta and cut the gruyère cheese into small cubes. Once the water comes to a boil, add the spaghetti and stir. Let cook for about 15 minutes, depending on the size of the spaghetti, and drain well: remember that spaghetti is better when served al dente.
Pour the eggs into a bowl, and whisk them with a fork as if you were preparing an omelet. Put the bacon and crushed garlic (which will then be removed) in a large pan to fry. Add the spaghetti, eggs, gruyere, and plenty of pepper.
Stir well, continuing to do so until the egg mixture starts to thicken. Then pour the spaghetti onto the serving plate and serve immediately.