Best Giadas Carbonara Recipes

SWEET ONION CARBONARA

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a heavy large frying pan set over medium heat. Add the pancetta and saute until brown and crisp, about 8 minutes. Remove the pancetta from the pan and set aside to cool.
• Add the onions to the pan and cook until golden brown and lightly caramelized, 10 minutes. Add the garlic and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and cook 2 minutes more. Set aside to cool slightly. In a large bowl, whisk together the gruyere, cream, Parmesan, lemon zest, eggs and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until just tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the pasta water. Add the pasta back to the pan along with the onions, cream mixture, 1/4 cup of the reserved pasta water and the pancetta. Toss over low heat until the sauce is thick and coats the pasta, adding pasta water as needed, about 2 minutes (do not boil).
• Season the pasta with lots of pepper. Transfer the pasta to a large, wide serving bowl. Sprinkle with chives and serve.

PENNE A LA CARBONARA

Steps:

• 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.

CHICKEN CARBONARA

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a heavy large frying pan over medium heat. Add the pancetta and garlic and saute until it is brown and crisp, about 8 minutes. Cool slightly.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the cream, cheese, yolks, basil, and parsley to blend.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the spaghetti and cook until it is just tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Drain.
• Add the chicken to the pan with the pancetta and stir to combine. Next, add the spaghetti and the cream mixture and toss over medium-low heat until the chicken is heated through and the sauce coats the spaghetti thickly, about 4 minutes (do not boil or you might end up scrambling the eggs). Season the pasta, to taste, with pepper and salt if needed (the pancetta will likely add all the salt you need). Transfer the pasta to a large wide serving bowl. Sprinkle the walnuts and lemon zest over, and serve.

GIADA'S CARBONARA

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the asparagus and cook for 3 minutes. Transfer the asparagus to a bowl of ice water and let sit until cool, about 5 minutes. Remove from the water, remove the rubber band, and cut into 1-inch pieces.
• Meanwhile, add the pasta to the large pot of salted water used to cook the asparagus and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta into a large bowl. Add the Basil Aioli, cut asparagus, shaved cheese, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine and place on a long, rectangular serving dish.
• Place the butter in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the eggs and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Fry the eggs to your liking. Place the eggs on top of the pasta and serve immediately.
• Combine the garlic, egg yolks, mustard, lemon juice, basil, salt, pepper, and cayenne in a food processor and run the machine to mix. With the machine running slowly drizzle in the vegetable and olive oil. Basil Aioli can be kept, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

CARBONARA CACIO E PEPE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Cook the pasta for 8 minutes or just 2 minutes under the suggested cooking time. Drain well, reserving 1 1/2 cups of pasta water.
• Meanwhile, heat a large straight-sided skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil and pancetta. Cook, stirring often with a wooden spoon, until the pancetta is crisp, about 10 minutes. Add the black pepper and toast, stirring often, until fragrant. Add 1/2 cup of the pasta water to the pan and scrape up all the bits that are sticking to the bottom. Add the cooked pasta and sprinkle with the Parmesan. Add another 1/2 cup of the pasta water and stir to coat all of the pasta with the cheese. Add the pecorino and butter and stir to combine, creating a light, creamy cheese sauce. Add the peas and cook until warmed through. Add additional pasta water as needed to maintain the light sauce consistency. Serve with more grated Parmesan if desired.

CINNAMON-PANCETTA CARBONARA

Steps:

• Saute the bacon and pancetta in a heavy large frying pan over medium heat until almost crisp, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle the cinnamon over the bacon and pancetta and saute until the bacon is crisp and golden, about 2 minutes longer. Cool. Whisk in the cream, cheese, and yolks to blend.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the fettuccine and cook until it is just tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes. Drain. Add the fettuccine to the cream mixture and toss over medium-low heat until the sauce coats the pasta thickly, about 5 minutes (do not boil). Season the pasta, to taste, with salt and pepper. Transfer the pasta to a large wide serving bowl. Sprinkle with chives and serve.

SPAGHETTI CARBONARA

Steps:

• Place a large pot of lightly salted water (no more than 1 tablespoon salt) over high heat, and bring to a boil. Fill a large bowl with hot water for serving, and set aside.
• In a mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, yolks and pecorino and Parmesan. Season with a pinch of salt and generous black pepper.
• Set the water to boil. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat, add the pork, and sauté until the fat just renders, on the edge of crispness but not hard. Remove from heat and set aside.
• Add pasta to the water and boil until a bit firmer than al dente. Just before pasta is ready, reheat guanciale in skillet, if needed. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, then drain pasta and add to the skillet over low heat. Stir for a minute or so.
• Empty serving bowl of hot water. Dry it and add hot pasta mixture. Stir in cheese mixture, adding some reserved pasta water if needed for creaminess. Serve immediately, dressing it with a bit of additional grated pecorino and pepper.

GIADA'S CARBONARA

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the asparagus bundle and cook for 3 minutes. Use tongs to transfer the asparagus to a bowl of ice water and let sit until cool, about 5 minutes. Drain the asparagus, remove the rubber band, and cut into 1-inch pieces.
• Make the Basil Aioli
• While the asparagus cooks, combine the garlic, egg yolks, mustard, lemon juice, basil, salt, pepper, and cayenne in a food processor and run the machine to mix. With the machine running, slowly drizzle in the vegetable and olive oils.
• Meanwhile, add the pasta to the same pot of salted water used to cook the asparagus and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain the pasta and place in a large bowl. Add 1 cup basil aioli, the asparagus, the shaved cheese, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and combine. Turn out onto a serving platter.
• Melt the butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the eggs, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and fry to your liking. Place the eggs atop the pasta and serve.

GIADA'S CHICKEN CARBONARA

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a heavy large frying pan over medium heat. Add the pancetta and garlic and saute until it is brown and crisp, about 8 minutes. Cool slightly.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the cream, cheese, yolks, basil, and parsley to blend.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the spaghetti and cook until it is just tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Drain.
• Add the chicken to the pan with the pancetta and stir to combine. Next, add the spaghetti and the cream mixture and toss over medium-low heat until the chicken is heated through and the sauce coats the spaghetti thickly, about 4 minutes (do not boil or you might end up scrambling the eggs). Season the pasta, to taste, with pepper and salt if needed (the pancetta will likely add all the salt you need). Transfer the pasta to a large wide serving bowl. Sprinkle the walnuts and lemon zest over, and serve.