Andy Montoya
Carbonara is a pasta dish made with fatty cured pork, hard cheese, eggs, salt, and black pepper. The cheese used is usually pecorino romano, an aged sheep's milk cheese with a salty, grassy, and earthy flavor. However, some variations use Parmesan, Grana Padano, or a combination of cheeses. The type of egg used in the recipe also varies—some recipes call for the whole egg, while others only use the yolk. The intended result is a creamy sauce with a rich, eggy flavor.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Cheese type | Hard cheese |
| Cheese used | Pecorino Romano |
| Other options | Parmesan, Grana Padano, Gruyère, or a combination of hard cheeses |
| Grate the cheese | Yes, by hand, using a microplane or a box grater |
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Pecorino Romano
When making carbonara, it is important to grate the cheese by hand rather than buying pre-grated cheese, as the latter often contains anti-caking agents that prevent the cheese from melting smoothly. The cheese should be finely grated just before being added to the dish.
In addition to the cheese, carbonara typically includes fatty cured pork, eggs, salt, and black pepper. The dish is named after the Italian word for "bacon", and while guanciale (cured pork jowl) is traditional, pancetta or smoked bacon are also commonly used. The eggs are typically raw or lightly cooked to create a creamy sauce, and the pasta is typically spaghetti, bucatini, or rigatoni.
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Parmesan
When making carbonara, it is important to grate the cheese by hand. Pre-grated cheese often contains anti-caking agents that prevent the cheese from melting smoothly. Use a microplane or your preferred grater to finely grate the cheese just before adding it to the recipe.
Carbonara is a pasta dish made with fatty cured pork, hard cheese, eggs, salt, and black pepper. It is typical of the Lazio region of Italy. The dish took its modern form and name in the middle of the 20th century. The name carbonara first appeared in print in 1950, when an Italian newspaper described it as a Roman dish sought out by American officers after the Allied liberation of Rome in 1944.
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Grana Padano
When making carbonara with Grana Padano, you can beat the egg yolks with cream, Grana Padano, black pepper, saffron, and a pinch of salt. Fry the bacon until golden and crunchy, and cook the pasta al dente in salted boiling water. Drain the pasta, but keep some of the cooking water. Mix the spaghetti and bacon in a frying pan, and fold in the egg mixture. Heat gently to avoid scrambling the eggs, aiming for a creamy look.
You can sprinkle more grated Grana Padano on top of the dish, and some people also like to add toasted pine nuts for a buttery crunch.
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Gruyère
Carbonara is a pasta dish made with fatty cured pork, hard cheese, eggs, salt, and black pepper. It is typical of the Lazio region of Italy. The dish took its modern form and name in the middle of the 20th century, and the first recipe was published in 1954 in La Cucina Italiana magazine. The recipe featured pancetta, garlic, and Gruyère cheese.
When making carbonara with Gruyère, it is important to grate the cheese finely by hand. Pre-grated cheese often contains anti-caking agents that prevent it from melting smoothly. The cheese should be added to the hot pasta along with the raw eggs and black pepper, and then tossed to create a rich, creamy sauce.
Some variations of carbonara use other types of cheese, such as Pecorino Romano, Parmesan, or Grana Padano. However, Gruyère can be a good alternative, especially if you are looking for a slightly different flavour profile or if you want to use a cheese that melts particularly well.
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A combination of hard cheeses
The cheese used in a traditional carbonara is usually Pecorino Romano, an aged sheep's milk cheese with a salty, grassy, and earthy flavour. However, if you are unable to find Pecorino Romano, you can use a combination of hard cheeses, such as Parmesan and Grana Padano.
Parmesan, or Parmigiano-Reggiano, is a popular substitute for Pecorino Romano in carbonara. It has a strong, nutty flavour that can enhance the taste of the dish. Grana Padano is a similar cheese to Parmesan, but it is generally less expensive and has a milder flavour. Combining these two cheeses can create a well-balanced flavour profile for your carbonara.
When choosing a combination of hard cheeses for carbonara, it is important to consider the flavour profiles of the cheeses and how they will complement each other. Some other hard cheeses that you could experiment with include Asiago, which is smooth and not too salty, or Manchego, which has a unique flavour that can add interest to your dish.
Additionally, when making carbonara, it is recommended to finely grate the cheese by hand just before adding it to the recipe. Pre-grated cheese often contains anti-caking agents that can affect the melting properties of the cheese. By grating your own cheese, you can ensure a smooth and creamy sauce for your carbonara.
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Frequently asked questions
The traditional cheese used in carbonara is Pecorino Romano, an aged sheep's milk cheese.
Yes, you can use Parmesan, Grana Padano, or a combination of hard cheeses as a substitute.
It is not recommended to use pre-grated cheese as it usually contains anti-caking agents that prevent the cheese from melting smoothly. It is best to grate the cheese by hand just before adding it to the dish.
Spaghetti is the most common pasta used for carbonara, but other types such as bucatini, rigatoni, tagliatelle, or linguine can also be used.
Traditionally, cream is not added to carbonara as the combination of egg and cheese creates a creamy, silky texture. However, some variations of the dish may include cream.
