A rustic variant of the classic carbonara where beer is used to degrease and give a delicate bitter note to the dressing. Maintain the technique of the traditional carbonara to achieve a soft cream without scrambled eggs.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the spaghetti al dente according to the times indicated on the package.
Meanwhile, cut the guanciale into strips and fry it in a large pan without adding oil until it is golden and crispy; remove some of the excess fat if necessary.
Deglaze the guanciale with the beer: pour the beer into the pan and let the alcohol evaporate for a couple of minutes until the liquid reduces and flavors the guanciale.
In a bowl, beat the whole eggs and the yolk with the grated pecorino until you obtain a smooth cream; add a generous amount of black pepper.
Drain the pasta al dente, reserving a cup of cooking water. Pour the spaghetti into the pan with the guanciale and mix off heat.
Add the egg and pecorino cream to the pasta off the heat, stirring vigorously and adding cooking water a little at a time if necessary to emulsify and achieve a creamy consistency without cooking the eggs.
Adjust with salt if needed, finish with a further grind of pepper and serve immediately.
Pasta pot
Large pan
Bowl
Whisk or fork
Tips: use good-quality beer that is not too bitter; if a milder flavor is preferred, reduce the amount of beer. For a lighter version, some of the fat from the guanciale can be removed before deglazing.
Italy, Toscana
| Energy (kcal) | 321.91 |
| Carbohydrates (g) | 31.5 |
| of which Sugars (g) | 1.11 |
| Fat (g) | 16.56 |
| of which Saturates (g) | 2.37 |
| Protein (g) | 12.04 |
| Fiber (g) | 0.73 |
| Sale (g) | 0.19 |
