Spaghetti carbonara is renowned for its creamy, umami-rich flavors derived from a few quality ingredients like eggs, cheese, and pork, traditionally guanciale. While Italian carbonara uses this flavorful pork, Americans often substitute pancetta due to availability issues. The dish is also adaptable; cooks can swap in various pastas and meats based on what they have in their kitchen. Its simplicity makes carbonara a beloved choice for home cooks, providing comforting satisfaction with every bite, whether enjoyed immediately or relished in fond memories post-meal.
While carbonara in the U.S. is often made with pancetta, classic Italian-style Carbonara is typically made with a salt-cured pork called guanciale (pancetta's more flavorful cousin). Made from the fatty jowl and cheek (or guancia) of the pig, guanciale's flavor is unmatched and not easily sourced in America - it was banned from importation in the U.S. until 2013.
But the real beauty of carbonara is that you can also just wing it with ingredients already on hand. No Pecorino-Romano? Use parmesan.
That's because every creamy, salty, unctuously umami-laden bite is a perfect mouthful of redolently silky-smooth egg, salt-cured pork, cheese, spices, and pasta.
Best eaten straight away, carbonara is one of those dishes that shines with a handful of simple but perfectly paired ingredients, yielding a plate to be talked about long after the meal is gone.
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