Carbonara | Basics with Babish

Carbonara has been the subject of some severe bastardization here in the states, where we regularly eschew Italian tradition in favor of garlic, bacon, and green peas for some reason. Today we're doing both the old-school and illegitimate versions of the hotly-contested dish, both of which deserve their place in your grandmother's handwritten recipe cards.

Music: "A Beautiful Life" by Broke for Free

+ Traditional Carbonara shopping list:
1/2 pound guanciale (can substitute with pancetta)
3 large eggs
1 egg yolk
4 ounces of cheese (Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano-Reggiano)
Ground black pepper
Spaghetti noodles

+ Modern Carbonara shopping list:
1/2 pound thick cut bacon
Parmesan or Romano cheese
3 large eggs
1 egg yolk
Ground black pepper
Garlic
1/3 cup starchy pasta water
Bucatini noodles

[babishculinaryuniverse]

According to my 23andMe, I'm 10.7% Italian, so...pretty much an expert here.

[hb]

Start a food critic series called: “Bitching with Babish”

[LucaPala]

As Italian, I can tell you we too have different versions of carbonara based on local recipes, and at the end of the day it is all about cooking a dish that makes you feel happy about food, as you did here.

[gravyb]

You want to really piss them off you should've broke the spaghetti in half before putting it in the pot. Lol

[Lyosha.]

So I got so bored during quarantine that I found this on one of my playlists and actually went ahead and prepared the carbonara.
Long story short, now my wife is mad because she thinks I'm actually a good cook and I've been hiding it.

[BooNnSo]

"Don't throw it against the wall you freaking weirdo " this part makes every Italian happy .

[marcosmallmann]

Once I made Carbonara with provolone, cuz i had no pecorino. Since then I'm wanted dead or alive. I miss my family.

[LilGabriel]

Babish: “Don’t stick it to the wall you freakin weirdo”
Gordon in his carbonara video: *Throws it onto the ceiling*

[instantbeansoup]

Babish: *adds garlic*
Italians: *offended*
Babish: im gonna fckin do it again

[bucc]

BWB: *Puts garlic in Carbonara*
Italian Chefs: You mama'd your last a-mia

[karstaboi]

"... you can sub with pancetta if you're in a pinch."

*Me for the rest of the god damn video:* Haha, pinchetta

[OctagonalGolbat]

I'll never forget the day in home economics when the recipe said to use 0.5 cloves of garlic. I used two (my cooking partner was horrified at first but then she tasted it). The goal of my life is to spread the gospel of garlic one person at a time.

[militarysimulationclub]

Babish and the Italian traditional cooking community have so much beef with each other that you could plate it and serve it with rosemary

[saltypumpkin]

“A cool trick to determine pastas doneness is to take out a strand and... eat it”

*surprised pikachu face*

[TheNeonChaos]

I just wanted to thank you for making this! I used this as a base about 6 months ago, and have been tweaking it for mine and my partners taste preferences since. Tonight, we got it perfect for us. So thank you so much for giving me the courage to try cooking something new! Excited to try something else new!

[francescog]

As an italian, I can confirm you nailed it with the first one, and I didn't get offended with second one. I can accept revisitations, as long as you say it's not traditional

[adammarshall]

Babish:”Don’t throw it against the wall you friggin weirdo”
YSAC: *Sweats nervously*

[Tony-]

Can you start a mini series called,
"Being broke with Babish?"

For people who are living on a shoestring budget?

👍

[chrism]

Italian here (who's family is straight from Italy just a little ago). I loved your "non-traditional one". I have no problem adding garlic to it. Screw "traditional"... If it tastes good, who cares?

[StrappingYoungLadam]

I know this video is old but I just wanted to let Babish know that using this video I made carbonara for my family this year for our Italian themed Christmas and it was a huge success.