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A bowl of carbonara, the famous Roman pasta dish.

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The ultimate guide to carbonara

Journalist

Is there anything more Italian, more delicious and yet, more divisive than carbonara? The famous Roman pasta dish is treated with such reverence by Italians that the slightest alteration to the recipe can cause international incidents and bring calls of heresy on whatever unfortunate cook indulged their misjudged creativity with it.

The origins of the dish are somewhat hazy. Some claim that the name ‘carbonara’ which means coal burner or someone who might have worked at a forge or furnace, points to it being invented as a hearty dish to feed the men who laboured in Rome’s kilns and coal pits outside the city. Others attribute the dish to US soldiers who, during World War II brought their rations of eggs and bacon to restaurants to augment the locals’ limited menus.

Wherever it came from, it is today a dish that is synonymous with Rome and epitomises the very best of Italian cuisine. It uses five ingredients – eggs, pasta, pepper, pecorino Romano and pigs’ cheeks (guanciale). However, it is in the ever so slight variations of these ingredients and the techniques employed in combining them that the fault lines appear. Every family will have their own way of doing carbonara, and every family will swear blind that theirs is the best.

As 6 April is Carbonara Day in Italy, we’ve put together a few of our own recipes and variations. You decide which is the real deal.

Traditional pasta carbonara recipe

This Tried & Tasted recipe for carbonara by Fine Dining Lovers is as close to a definitive way to do it as you’ll find. Using guanciale, egg yolks, pecorino Romano, salt and pepper, and served with spaghetti, it is easy to make and if you follow the method, you can’t go wrong.

How to make pasta carbonara like a Michelin-starred chef

Learn from the pros and watch these Michelin star chefs make carbonara. Here, lauded chefs Carlo Mirarchi and Heinz Beck give us a masterclass on how to prepare the dish. You can be sure that there will be some who disagree vehemently with their methods, however.

Foolproof spaghetti carbonara recipe

Italian chef Danilo Cortellini shows us how not to mess up a carbonara with his recipe as part of The Secrets of Italian Food series by Fine Dining Lovers. Follow the step-by-step guide for perfect results.

How to make vegetarian carbonara with three-Michelin-star chef Enrico Bartolini

Vegetarians can enjoy carbonara too with this riff on the recipe from three-Michelin-star chef Enrico Bartolini. This is a complicated recipe, but worth it so our plant-forward friends can enjoy the pleasures of this greatest of Italian dishes.

Where to eat carbonara in Rome: the 10 best restaurants

Of course, if you want to avoid the risk of offending someone with your carbonara, there is one surefire way to ensure that you get the genuine article, and that's going to Rome and get a local to make it for you. Here are the best places to eat carbonara in Rome. Buon appetito!

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