Foolproof Spaghetti Carbonara

Name: Foolproof Spaghetti Carbonara
Yield: Serves 4
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 8 slices, bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces; 1/2 cup, water; 3 , garlic cloves, minced; 2 1/2 ounces, Pecorino Romano, grated (1 1/4 cups); 3 large, eggs plus 1 large yolk; 1 teaspoon, pepper; 1 pound, spaghetti; 1 teaspoon, salt

127 comments

By Celeste Rogers

Appears in Cook's Illustrated March/April 2013, America's Test Kitchen TV

An overload of fat makes a smooth, stable sauce for this classic Roman pasta. But could we dial back the fat and still have a velvety consistency?

SERVES4

TIME1 hour

has video

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS

Most carbonara pastas are so rich that it’s hard to eat a whole bowlful. We lightened the usual recipe by dismissing additions like cream and butter, cutting any oil, and including only a tablespoon of the rendered bacon fat. Having done so...

This is a members' feature.