There are two types of people in this world. Those who use cream in their carbonara, and those who don’t (and feel very strongly about it). In fact, there’s a valid reason why ‘no cream carbonara’ advocates are so passionate about their stance… because traditional Italian carbonara doesn’t actually consist of any cream. Yep, that’s right, no cream, whatsoever. Mind. Blown.
Taste.com.au Food Director, Amira Georgy, confirmed this, saying: “Traditionally, carbonara sauce contains no cream, just eggs and cheese. The eggs and cheese are added to the hot pasta and tossed together until a silky sauce forms.”
Now, we’re warning you that a super unpopular opinion is right ahead. Although we know it’s not the authentic Italian way of enjoying the pasta, we think we’ve found the best carbonara recipe, EVER… and it features cream. Before you judge us, give us a chance to prove why it really is Australia’s top-rated spaghetti carbonara.
Amira said: “We’ve used a drizzle of thickened cream in this recipe as it adds a lovely richness to the sauce and it also helps stabilise the eggs a little.”
Not to mention, the flavour and the creaminess, will have you saying: “Why haven’t I been adding cream sooner?!”.
Here’s the recipe for the most controversial carbonara recipe:
200g sliced Primo Gourmet Selection Pancetta, cut into 1cm-wide strips
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3 eggs, plus 1 extra yolk
100ml thickened cream
2/3 cup (50g) freshly grated parmesan, plus extra to serve
2 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves
Method
Step 1: Cook pasta in a large pan of boiling salted water according to the packet instructions. Meanwhile, heat oil in a frypan over medium heat. Cook pancetta, stirring, for 2-3 minutes until beginning to crisp. Add garlic for 30 seconds, then set pan aside
Step 2: Place eggs, yolk, cream and parmesan in a bowl. Season, then mix gently with a fork. Drain pasta, then return to pan. Quickly add egg and pancetta mixtures and parsley. Toss to combine – the heat from the pasta will cook the egg slightly and form a creamy sauce. Serve immediately with extra parmesan.
Should carbonara have cream?
Typically carbonara sauce is only made of eggs, bacon, parmesan, olive oil, seasoning, and sometimes, vegetables. As for cream, Italians will tell you that is a big no no.
How do you make carbonara silky?
The trick to silky carbonara is to whisk your egg whites so that they’re completely incorporated with the egg yolks. This will create a smooth, velvety sauce.
Under no circ*mstances should cream be a part of carbonara. While Orr notes that this can create a tasty pasta, it's just not carbonara. It mutes the interplay of all the flavors, and coats the pasta in a clumsier sauce. It is understandable why many people make carbonara with cream.
Before you judge us, give us a chance to prove why it really is Australia's top-rated spaghetti carbonara. Amira said: “We've used a drizzle of thickened cream in this recipe as it adds a lovely richness to the sauce and it also helps stabilise the eggs a little.”
And indeed, there's plenty of recipes that cheat by adding in cream. But today, we're making spaghetti carbonara properly, the authentic, traditional way. No cream. Just egg, cheese and a splash of starchy pasta cooking water.
Creamy sauces like carbonara sauce are usually made from butter, cheese, and heavy cream, all of which pile on the saturated fat and calories. A healthier option would be a lighter sauce such as the olive oil-based one in aglio olio, which is rich in good fat and cooked with fresh ingredients like garlic and chilli.
Carbonara has egg yolk, Pecorino Romano, guanciale, black pepper, and pasta. Under no circ*mstances can be there be any other additions, and that goes double for cream.
No cream, the authentic carbonara sauce has only four ingredients: guanciale (when outside Italy, it may be replaced by non-smoked bacon), egg (my personal version is with one whole egg + one yolk per person, but there are different 'schools'), black pepper, pecorino cheese (preferably Romano type). The sauce...
What not to put in Spaghetti Carbonara? Don't put garlic, cream, milk or butter. It is not needed. It is fine if you want to make a dish with those ingredients, but if you want to learn how to make this dish correctly, use only pecorino, eggs/egg yolks, black pepper, guanciale, and pasta water.
The addition to guanciale in carbonara sauce is the main reason the flavor of Alfredo and carbonara sauce differs to such a degree. Guanciale gives carbonara an earthy, funkier edge whereas Alfredo sauce relies solely upon its buttery virtues to seduce its way into your mouth.
The difference between an Alfredo and a Carbonara: Alfredo is basic – pasta, cream, parmesan, parsley.Carbonara is a little more complicated – pasta, onion, pancetta, garlic, egg yolks, cream, parmesan, parsley.
Pecorino Romano: This aged sheep's cheese is always traditionally used in the Roman pastas, and its salty, grassy, earthy flavor is absolutely delicious in carbonara. That said, if Pecorino is unavailable at your local grocery store, you can use Parmesan as a non-traditional substitute.
You're using more egg yolks than whites here, which is what makes carbonara so rich and luxurious. But there's still two eggs-worth of whites in there. Whisking your eggs so that the whites are completely incorporated into the yolks will give your sauce a more uniform texture.
One of the biggest risks of bacon is associated with two preservatives, nitrates and nitrites, that can form cancer-causing compounds. In addition to increasing your risk of colon and stomach cancer, eating processed meat increases your risk of prostate cancer, pancreatic cancer, and dying from all types of cancer.
Bacon has lots of sodium, cholesterol, and fat, all of which can increase your risk of heart disease. But bacon does have other nutrients, like protein, vitamins, and minerals. Just keep in mind that if you eat bacon, it's best to do so occasionally and in small amounts.
Not only that, but pasta is low in fat and cholesterol-free, which can contribute to heart health when paired with nutritious toppings and sauces. That's not to say you can't enjoy a creamy pasta every now and then, but eating a chorizo carbonara every day isn't going to be great for your cholesterol levels.
Don't put garlic, cream, milk or butter. It is not needed. It is fine if you want to make a dish with those ingredients, but if you want to learn how to make this dish correctly, use only pecorino, eggs/egg yolks, black pepper, guanciale, and pasta water.
You're using more egg yolks than whites here, which is what makes carbonara so rich and luxurious. But there's still two eggs-worth of whites in there. Whisking your eggs so that the whites are completely incorporated into the yolks will give your sauce a more uniform texture.
If the carbonara sauce isn't sticking to the pasta, this could mean either the sauce hasn't cooked properly, and therefore not thickened enough, or too much pasta water made its way into the sauce and it is too thin. Be sure to toss the pasta in the egg mixture until the sauce thickens slightly.
Warm it up––if a finished sauce sits for too long, it loses heat and stability, which can threaten the structure of the sauce! Reheating it slowly while consistently stirring or whisking can whip your sauce back into main dish shape.
Introduction: My name is Carlyn Walter, I am a lively, glamorous, healthy, clean, powerful, calm, combative person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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