Penne a la Carbonara

Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis

Show: Everyday ItalianEpisode: Straight from the Pantry

Rated: 4 stars out of 5Rate itRead users' reviews (115)

Cook Time:
15 min
Level:
Easy
Yield:
4 servings

Times:

Prep: 20 min
Inactive Prep: --
Cook: 15 min
Total:: 35 min

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Ingredients

1 pound pancetta, diced into 1-inch cubes
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 eggs, at room temperature
1/2 cup heavy cream, at room temperature
1 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1 pound dried penne
4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

Directions

Heat a large saute pan, until hot. Add pancetta and saute until golden brown and crispy, about 5 minutes. Season with black pepper and remove pan from heat.

In a medium bowl, beat the eggs and cream. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in Parmesan, reserving 2 tablespoons for garnish.

In a large pot, boil 6 quarts of salted boiling water. Add pasta and cook until al dente, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta in a colander. Do not rinse with water; you want to retain the pasta's natural starches so that the sauce will stick. While the pasta is still hot, return it back to the pot. Add the browned pancetta and mix well. Add the cream mixture and coat the pasta completely. It's important to work quickly while the pasta is still warm so that the cream mixture will cook, but not curdle. Add remaining Parmesan and chopped parsley.

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Comments & Reviews

recipe Penne a la Carbonara
Carmen Dumfries, VA 10-19-2009
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Easy & Delicious!!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I made this recipe last week and it was quick, easy and delicious!! Trick is not adding too much salt to the pasta water. ... Pancetta and Parmesan cheese has plenty of salt. Family loved it!!Read more
recipe Penne a la Carbonara
Noelle Beecher, IL 09-20-2009
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Very Yummy
Rated: 4 stars out of 5

After reading the reviews I was a little skeptical about making this recipe. I went with this one and really loved it! I made... it for a birthday dinner for my boyfriend and he loved it. He had all the leftovers the next day. It turned out creamy enough for me. It is salty and creamy. If you want to put a bit more flavor then use some onion and garlic. But overall I really liked it. Read more
recipe Penne a la Carbonara
Jodie Germantown, WI 09-04-2009
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Wonderful Dish!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I could not find the Pancetta at our local store so I used thick cut bacon. I salted the water for the penne but did not add... any salt to any other components. It came out wonderful and was really simple. As to the review about raw eggs, they get cooked if you follow the instructions and reserve the hot pasta water and mix it up right away. I can't wait to eat the leftovers tomorrow for lunch. I also did substitute jar parsley instead of fresh and it worked great. I used around a tablespoon.Read more
recipe Penne a la Carbonara
Angela Georgetown, IL 08-09-2009
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Yummy!
Rated: 4 stars out of 5

I could have used a little more spice or flavor, but overall we loved this. I think i will add a little garlic and onion to... the pancetta next time. But even as is, the whole family enjoyed and I will make again.Read more
recipe Penne a la Carbonara
Elizabeth Bayshore, NY 03-03-2009
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Very Salty Dish
Rated: 1 stars out of 5

My husband asked me to find a recipe for Carbonara and I looked and found this one. It was not hard to do, if you follow the... directions it comes out great. The pancetta was so salty I did not even add salt to the pasta or the sauce. I do not add salt to my food for heathier cooking. It disappointed me . Read more
recipe Penne a la Carbonara
Denise Novato, CA 01-12-2009
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A real hit at my home!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I was having some old friends over and thought this sounded like a nice, simple dish to prepare. While at the store in... considering how much pancetta I would need to purchase (I was doubling it, so 2 lbs.), decided I couldn't afford to spend that much, so opted for 2 lbs of high quality, applewood smoked bacon. Otherwise, I followed the recipe exactly. IT WAS OUTSTANDING! The sauce was creamy, rich and flavorful. It was not too salty at all. Thanks, Giada! Great recipe! Read more