It’s one of the most popular sauces to combine with a good pasta. Children and adults love it and it’s an easy way to make a tasty and nourishing dish quickly. But, do you know where pasta Carbonara comes from? Here are some theories about the origins of this delicacy. And if you get hungry while reading this, write down the recipe to make it at home. It’s really easy!
The two theories about the origins of pasta Carbonara
1: The coal theory:
The origins of pasta Carbonara are unclear, and there are various theories. The most popular one places the invention of this dish in the Apennine Mountains, an area with heavy mining activity (hence its name, a term related to coal, “carbone” in Italian). Also, because of this, one of its main ingredients is black pepper (there are some people who are sure that this is a kind of homage to coal).
2: The war theory:
But there’s another theory that says that the first time this sauce was used on a pasta dish was during the Second World War, in 1944. According to this theory, carbonara sauce was the food of the allied British and American soldiers, who, after getting sick of eating bacon and eggs, asked for a “new dish” even if it had the same ingredients.
The ingredients of pasta Carbonara
The basic ingredients to cook an authentic pasta Carbonara are a quality pasta, eggs, guanciale (a type of cured pork meat), salt and freshly ground black pepper. Although it is true that finding guanciale in our supermarkets is hard, we can replace it with pork cured pancetta.
What type of pasta should you choose for Carbonara sauce?
Even though this sauce works perfectly with any type of pasta, it is most commonly paired with traditional spaghetti (like our spaghetti No. 3). Other suggestions to enjoy a delicious pasta carbonara dish are tallarines or ridged macarrones (or any other of our classic pastas).
Instructions for the recipe
First, cook the guanciale (or pancetta) in a frying pan, without adding any oil. The meat will release all the juices needed to get the characteristic flavour of this dish. Next, add the already cooked pasta following the instructions on the package and the beaten eggs on a low heat. Little by little add a few tablespoons of the pasta cooking water and stir gently so that the sauce doesn’t thicken. To finish, add freshly ground black pepper to taste and, if you want, a little grated cheese. Enjoy your delicious pasta Carbonara!
If you don’t have time, or simply don’t feel like cooking, you don’t need to miss out on this delicacy. Try our Carbonara sauce and enjoy it with your favourite pasta. Cook the pasta, heat up the sauce, and it’s done. Bon appétit!