Pasta alla carbonara means "coal worker's style pasta" in Italian. The dish contains pasta -- commonly spaghetti -- tossed with bacon, eggs, cheese and black pepper. The history of carbonara is uncertain, but one theory is that the dish got its name because coal workers frequently ate it, or because the black pepper in the pasta looks like coal flakes. Regardless of its origins, pasta carbonara remains popular in Italy today, and is not too complicated for home cooks to make.
Instructions
1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the pasta. While preparing the rest of the ingredients, cook the pasta until it is al dente, or cooked but still slightly firm. Drain the pasta in a colander when it is finished, but do not rinse. Reserve some of the pasta cooking water.
2. Cut the pancetta or bacon into lardons, or thin strips. Cook the lardons, along with the garlic cloves, in a heavy pan over medium heat until they are almost crispy and the fat has rendered out. Remove the pan from the heat and remove the garlic cloves.
3. Beat the eggs and cheese together. Add the hot pasta to the pan with the lardons and stir in the egg and cheese mixture, the pepper and salt to taste. Toss the pasta well, adding some of the reserved pasta cooking water if the sauce is too thick.
4. Serve the pasta carbonara immediately, with extra cheese.
Tags: black pepper, cooking water, , garlic cloves, pasta cooking, pasta cooking water