Any decent carbonaras?

[FrogandTrumpet]

Is it me, or is it impossible to get a decent carbonara when eating out?

I had another disappointment this evening - too gloopy, too thick, too rich.

I’m starting to think I don’t actually like carbonara, and I should stop ordering it, but I live in hope.

It must surely be the classic dish that is most frequently screwed up, even by professionals.

I’ll only order it in a small, independent family-owned Italian restaurant. Or in Italy. Usually nearly always arrives as intended.

I think part of the problem with restaurants bastardising it is that a lot of people have eaten non-carbonaras with cream and bacon bits etc in chains or made it from kits and think that’s carbonara, so reject actual carbonara when other places serve it properly and then it becomes a loop with more places trying to appease those tastes.

We don't go out to Italian restaurants, it's never any good and we always end up disappointed.

I only order if there is no cream.

Our local Italian foe a great one. SH has taken to ordering it every time.

Quite like the gusto one but I've only ever tried friends' not my own whole dish.

I think it’s one of those dishes that’s best at home, like halloumi, steak or roast chicken. Needs to be eaten straight away after cooking and you can do it exactly to your own taste.

Yanbu, at all!

we went out to eat earlier on and had a look at the menu for ASK Italian and their carbonara has mascarpone in it… what the actual fuck? We went to Wagamama’s instead.

Me too. I really dislike carbonara with cream.

Go to a proper, authentic, Italian family bistro. Then you will get the real deal. I know a great one in Westcliff, Essex.

I had a wonderful one in Lake Garda a few years ago

Outside of Italy (and not tourist restaurants) then no, carbonara is generally awful. Cream, cheese sauce, mascarpone... All abominations. I think it's often to hide the fact that they use powdered egg to keep costs down

But, it's so easy and quick to make at home that I can't get too upset about it

What’s everyone’s perfect carbonara criteria then?

Not to be that annoying twat, but it’s so easy to make. I find it so difficult to find anywhere that does things the way I like, that I’ve started pushing myself more and more and carbonara shocked me at how easy it was to make well.

And so fast!

Use guanciale instead of pancetta, I buy a fair bit at once and freeze in batches. Half and half pecorino and Parmesan. It definitely works with pancetta and parm and will be tasty, but if you want it an absolute madness of perfection, guancie and 50/50 cheeses. I also do the black pepper in a pestle and mortar for a carbonara as I’m serving. Some things I do that for cos it does something wowy.

I want it tomorrow now!

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/ultimate-spaghetti-carbonara-recipe

I make this a lot. I add a ton of mushrooms

Carbonara is basically an outstanding tasting science lesson. The heat, salt, fat, protein, starch from the pasta water. It’s very clever and just perfection.

The best home recipe I have found, that works every single time is Rachel Roddy’s. It is authentic and excellent.

1 egg per person plus 1. Half parmesan/half pecorino (I use cheddar - sue me!) 50g per person. Mix and season well.

50g pancetta/lardons per person. Fry to crispy and remove fat.

Cook the spaghetti, drain but dump back in the pan before all the water has gone. Add the egg mixture and mix quickly to avoid scrambling. Chuck in the bacon and serve with a sprinkling of extra parmesan and black pepper.

30 mins start to table. (Unless you're making the pasta from scratch in which case allow two hours to make and clean up!!!)

@EverybodyLTB Makes sense re the pepper. I’ve toasted black pepper and ground it (well, smashed I guess) by hand for cacio e pepe and it really is something different

Cheddar.

WHUT.

I like pineapple on pizza as well.

Some tips for home
add the pasta to the bacon fatty pan and mix well to coat the pasta in the oil

reaerve at least one cup of pasta water

add a tablespoon or two of the Lukewarm pasta water to the egg and cheese mixture to loosen it and start the cooking process which reduces the scrambled egg problem

oncw the pasta is covered with bacon and the oil/far, add the egg and cheese and mix well. Add as much pasta water as needed to make the sauce glossy and smooth

a little freshly grated nutmeg in the cheese and egg is also nice

Clutches pearls.

Amen!

My partner makes an incredible one. How I have no idea. But I do know it takes all the kitchen instruments including the pestle and mortar which has evidence of an awful lot of black pepper.