Top Tips for Perfect Carbonara

Step 1

Begin by dicing the bacon. Cook it over medium-high heat in a large saucepan until you have crispy bits. Remove the bacon bits from the pan and set them aside on some paper towel. Take the pan off the heat, leaving about two tablespoons of bacon fat in the pan for later.

Step 2

While the bacon is cooking, boil a medium to large pot of water and season it with a few tablespoons of salt. Cook the pasta until it’s al dente — about 7-8 minutes, depending on the shape. Reserve a small mug-full of pasta water towards the end of cooking.

Step 3

While the pasta boils, mix together the egg yolks and grated parmesan. Add a few tablespoons of pasta water to the mixture and stir together until saucy.

Step 4

Strain the pasta and add it back to the saucepan you cooked the bacon in. Turn the pan on low heat.

Step 5

Stirring constantly, add the egg mixture to the pasta and bacon fat. Add a few splashes of reserved pasta water as necessary to loosen the sauce until it is glossy and coats the pasta. This process should only take about two minutes.

Step 6

Add the bacon bits as the last step. This will keep them nice and crispy in the dish.