POV: Cooking a (Not-So-Authentic) Spaghetti Carbonara

Jack brings you a (sort-of) authentic way to make classic Italian Carbonara, a rich and creamy pasta dish that’s all about simple ingredients and perfect technique. Using just eggs, Pecorino Romano, guanciale, and pasta, Jack guides you step-by-step through achieving that silky, restaurant-quality sauce without cream.
Discover the secrets behind this timeless recipe as Jack shows you how to balance creamy texture with the bold flavors of crispy guanciale and sharp Pecorino. With tips on everything from the ideal pasta temperature to creating the perfect sauce consistency, this guide will have you making flawless carbonara every time.

VIDEO CHAPTERS
00:00 - Intro
00:08 - Preparing Ingredients
02:14 - Cooking Pasta & Gaunciale
03:21 - Emulsifying the Sauce
06:42 - Tasting the Carbonara

[jerome]

I often make a traditional carbonara at home; I don’t think that Italians will get too mad at this, literally the only thing that isn’t canon is the garlic flavour . .
Your techniques for emulsifying and combining are spot on!

[tonydaddario]

That was an impressively large forkful of carbonara you managed to shove down your cake hole, chef pelican.

[ryand]

They're very respectful of one another. It's good to see. If I go to London, I'll definitely drop in guys. Keep it up. Consistency is key. You inspired me to get cooking again. The cod's head looks really good.

[metalhz]

Italian chef here: excellent technique i'm very impressed! what i do is cook eggs cheese and pepper au bain marie like a bernaise using the pasta pot. The guanciale would render in the meantime and I use its fat instead of clarified butter for the bernaise ;D In the meantime the pasta is done and you can just throw it in the bowl directly and add the crispy guanciale :D No garlic though lol

[thlvlMage]

These two are like brothers on camera. Will's compliments are so genuine too! Thanks again for a lovely technique video.

[Stewart_Bell]

My ego is outrageously swollen as that's exactly how i do it. Holding Fallow YouTube in high regard at present having used your method for beef welly and roast potatoes on Christmas day and both were banging; in fact the welly was well beyond anything I thought I was capable of, and that's very inspiring. Thank you guys.

[Nick-from-norfolk]

I make my own guanciale and pancetta at home. No nitrates, no Prague powder, restaurant grade salt so no anti caking agent. So delicious I can’t eat carbonara or alla gricia anywhere but home. So easy and cheap to make and much better than the stuff you get in Roma.

[paulh]

Just made this, inspired by you guys, just used smoked bacon instead. Best I've ever made, even if I do say so myself!!! Keep up the outstanding work....

[__Raziel]

got a lot of respect for you chefs. I really hope to discover one of your restaurants one day during a visit in London

[mikeflorence]

Buona Note Jack. Questa e Michele Firenze ( OK, it's Mike Florence the seafood chef). I'm well proud of my Italian heritage and grew up in Florence. Alora, I'm not sure why you said this isn't authentic. You used the correct meat and correct combo of eggs and pecorino for the sauce. Thankfully, you didn't add cream !!! Bravissimo, questa e MOLTO BUONO !!! Ciao, Mike.

[barrypain]

I used this recipe over the weekend and although I didn't quite get the sauce right, I didn't scramble the eggs and the overall dish was nice. I think the garlic flavour imparted on the guanciale is lovely.

[asepsisaficionado]

You gave the warning that this wasn't authentic, then proceeded to make carbonara almost exactly the way it's supposed to. You even managed to get guanciale. Adding garlic is the only rogue ingredient, but you removed it before serving which is also how Italians would do it.

[HardTimesUK]

Quality Jack. Made up too because it’s exactly how I make mine. Although I don’t cook garlic down with the bacon so will be trying that next time! Keep up the amazing work. Love this channel!

[cristianoattanasi]

As an italian cook I'd say you got it right, apart from the garlic. If you'd cook it more often you wouldn't add too much water, but good saving it.

[phillipbecker]

Nice how the sauce gets thick in the pan. Looks delicious chef!

[jayinwood]

As an Anglo Italian I was nervous about watching this. Thank you 🙏 this is exactly how I cook it at home. 🇬🇧 ❤ 🇮🇹

[moggeskate]

love how the second lad just swallowed the whole bite. he chewed maybe two times maximum :-o

[Covenant-R]

This is basically how I do mine as well. But I actually like the garlic still in there, but I slice it thinly after halving the cloves and removing the stems, then brown the garlic very gently in a little bit of olive oil that I add to the Guanchale/panchette/etc while its rendering, and pick out the garlic as it starts getting a very light golden color, then finish everything similar to what's in the video, then I sprinkle the garlic in with everything as it's done.


Not authentic, but I love having the garlic there, the trick is to never let it get too much color or the garlic will have a bitter edge to it. When done right it's just about crispy dry and fairly sweet and garlicky.

[subbamichi]

Can we please get Tim Mälzer for his German TV show Kitchen Impossible into your restaurant where he needs to recreate a dish from your restaurant. This would be amazing. This is one of my fav YouTube channels. You guys are doing an amazing job

[RaezoR]

All the right ingredients here. Finishing off with 1cm cubes of Guanciale, crispy on the outside & soft in the centre added on top of your Carbonara pyramid. Luxury crunchy finish.