A successful carbonara depends on good pasta cooked to perfection at the last moment, a very hot serving dish and the rapid mixing in of cream and egg to create a glistening sauce, which lightly coats the pasta.
3 tbsp olive oil
200g (7oz) onions, chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
200g (7oz) thin slices of pancetta or bacon
150ml (scant ⅔ cup) double (heavy) cream
4 egg yolks
10g (⅓oz) snipped flat parsley leaves
salt and freshly ground pepper
350g (12oz) linguine, preferably fresh (see Pasta dough)
60g (2oz) Parmesan, freshly grated
Warm a deep serving dish in the oven at 170ºC/325ºF/Gas 3 for 10 minutes.
Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a non-stick frying pan over a very low heat, add the onions and sweat gently for 2 minutes. Add the garlic, stir well and transfer to a bowl.
In the cleaned, dried frying pan, lightly brown the pancetta or bacon slices over a medium heat. Tip on to a board and cut into 1 cm (½in) pieces, then add to the onions and keep warm.
In a bowl, mix the cream, egg yolks and parsley together, and season lightly with salt and pepper.
Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil and add 1 tbsp olive oil. Add the linguine and cook for 1 – 2 minutes, until al dente, or done to your liking, then drain.
Immediately take the serving dish from oven, add the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil and put in the pasta. Quickly pour on the cream mixture, mix rapidly with tongs, then add the bacon and onion mixture. Sprinkle with Parmesan, mix well but not too thoroughly, and serve immediately.