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.

My old flatmate, possibly in an idiot-savant move, just used egg yolks. Can’t bring myself to be so extravagant (sometimes wonder if I’m the reincarnation of a protein deprived person who passed during rationing) but it was particularly good

Weirdly, there is a weight watchers recipe which is really good. Failing that you need to go to Italy 😁

Our local Italian does Italian Carbonara (egg) and British Carbonara (cream). Both taste great, and nobody's disappointed.

Yes a higher proportion of egg yolk to whites reduces the scramble. I make meringues from the left overs.

Ah, then you whisk up some meringue s with the whites! Another incredibly easy yet amazing thing when home made.
actually you’ve solved my ladies dinner party problem !

I use an egg per person and an extra couple of yolks in mine, Pancetta and all the fat from it, Parmesan or Grana padano and sometimes I put a couple of cloves of garlic in the bacon fat just before I stop cooking, and always lots of pepper!

I’ll probably make it tomorrow now too 🤣🤣

I use this recipe! So easy and delicious in my humble opinion. My toddler loves it too but you have to be quick eating your pancetta otherwise he eats all his and demands everybody else’s too.

Or I add honey and cream to the egg whites for pana cotta.

Make it at home, it’ll be nicer. I just whisk up some egg yolks, double cream and grated Parmesan. Once the pasta and pancetta are cooked, put it all in the one pan and the latent heat from the pasta warms the sauce. Job done, dive right in.

I also just use yolks. I didn’t realise there was another way. I always tell myself I’ll do something with the whites, but I never do.

I've never had one in a restaurant that I enjoyed; too much salt or unnecessary ingredients. I make it myself using my favourite recipe website (RecipeTin Eats).

Just a note, a proper carbonara shouldn't have any cream in.

My mouths watering. I’m going to try this myself

As long as you don't use cream it should be fine. I normally use dried Parmesan out of necessity as fresh or pecorino would make it financially ruinous (don't live in the UK).

I use two pans; one for the pasta and then a second one to combine which avoids potentially scrambled egg pasta which nobody wants.

Yes to all this. I started using Nigella's recipe from How To Eat years ago and this sounds very similar. It's my most trusted comfort food.

Cheddar?? I may actually try to sue you!!

Even the Italians don’t entirely agree on that. Some of them use cream in carbonara (source: I lived with Italians for a year) and it is delicious.

I agree OP, it’s very difficult to get a decent one. I don’t really risk the disappointment anymore but I do make it at home about once a fortnight because it’s so quick and delicious.

Depending on whether I have pecorino in (I ALWAYS have parmesan in!) I make either this recipe: https://amp.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2012/may/10/how-to-cook-perfect-spaghetti-carbonara

or this one: https://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/pasta-recipes/gennaro-s-classic-spaghetti-carbonara/

If you pour the pasta into a bowl containing the egg (and lots of black pepper)you won't get scrambled egg as the pasta cooks the egg.

I've never scrambled the eggs.

Many restaurants in Italy will only do carbonara for two. As my wife was fan of arriabiata rather than carbonara I had to have two portions to myself

I carefully read this then made it with egg and cream. Forgot garlic and onions, and put in peas. What was I thinking?! And why are peas now ridiculously sweet?

Don’t bother ordering it out as you are likely to be disappointed.
I have had success for some years with https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/ultimate-spaghetti-carbonara-recipe

I’ve often used smoked bacon though

Never fail recipe from Parma:
125g pasta per person (does amazing as a leftover for the lunchbox and don't mess with this ratio or it'll be too runny)
1 large egg per person
65g soured cream per person
65g parmesan per person
50g parma ham per person

Cook and drain the pasta (12 min dry, 3min fresh - dry fusili working best here).
Whip up the eggs, sour cream and cheese and salt to taste.
Fry the parma ham.
Mix together and serve with salad.

It's the guanciale.
Makes all the difference.

I use butter, eggs, pancetta, fresh pasta and lots of salt and pepper. Need Parmesan but actually Wensleydale crumbles and tastes similar.