There are two types of people in this world. Those who use cream in their carbonara, and those who don’t (and feel very strongly about it). In fact, there’s a valid reason why ‘no cream carbonara’ advocates are so passionate about their stance… because traditional Italian carbonara doesn’t actually consist of any cream. Yep, that’s right, no cream, whatsoever. Mind. Blown.
Taste.com.au Food Director, Amira Georgy, confirmed this, saying: “Traditionally, carbonara sauce contains no cream, just eggs and cheese. The eggs and cheese are added to the hot pasta and tossed together until a silky sauce forms.”
Now, we’re warning you that a super unpopular opinion is right ahead. Although we know it’s not the authentic Italian way of enjoying the pasta, we think we’ve found the best carbonara recipe, EVER… and it features cream. Before you judge us, give us a chance to prove why it really is Australia’s top-rated spaghetti carbonara.
Amira said: “We’ve used a drizzle of thickened cream in this recipe as it adds a lovely richness to the sauce and it also helps stabilise the eggs a little.”
Not to mention, the flavour and the creaminess, will have you saying: “Why haven’t I been adding cream sooner?!”.
Here’s the recipe for the most controversial carbonara recipe:
Australia’s top-rated spaghetti carbonara
Ingredients
400g spaghetti
1 tbsp olive oil
200g sliced Primo Gourmet Selection Pancetta, cut into 1cm-wide strips
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3 eggs, plus 1 extra yolk
100ml thickened cream
2/3 cup (50g) freshly grated parmesan, plus extra to serve
2 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves
Method
Step 1: Cook pasta in a large pan of boiling salted water according to the packet instructions. Meanwhile, heat oil in a frypan over medium heat. Cook pancetta, stirring, for 2-3 minutes until beginning to crisp. Add garlic for 30 seconds, then set pan aside
Step 2: Place eggs, yolk, cream and parmesan in a bowl. Season, then mix gently with a fork. Drain pasta, then return to pan. Quickly add egg and pancetta mixtures and parsley. Toss to combine – the heat from the pasta will cook the egg slightly and form a creamy sauce. Serve immediately with extra parmesan.
Should carbonara have cream?
Typically carbonara sauce is only made of eggs, bacon, parmesan, olive oil, seasoning, and sometimes, vegetables. As for cream, Italians will tell you that is a big no no.
How do you make carbonara silky?
The trick to silky carbonara is to whisk your egg whites so that they’re completely incorporated with the egg yolks. This will create a smooth, velvety sauce.
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