Creamy Carbonara Sauce for Pasta

Cooking method

1. Step 1:

   

   How do you make creamy carbonara sauce for pasta? Measure out your ingredients. It's best to use bacon that isn't too fatty—mine is a lean cut with a little marbling. The egg yolks must be fresh.

2. Step 2:

   

   Cut the bacon however you like—into short strips or thin little slices.

3. Step 3:

   

   Peel and wash the garlic. I don't leave the garlic in the sauce, so I sliced it thin; if you want garlic in the sauce, mince the clove finely instead.

4. Step 4:

   

   Finely grate the Parmesan.

5. Step 5:

   

   Heat the olive oil in a skillet and add the bacon. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until lightly browned. If the bacon is very fatty, you can use less oil or none at all.

6. Step 6:

   

   Add the garlic to the pan. Cook the bacon and garlic together, stirring, for another 1 minute so the sauce takes on a light, savory aroma. I took the garlic out of the pan; if you like, leave the finely minced garlic in the sauce.

7. Step 7:

   

   In a suitably sized bowl, beat the egg yolks with a whisk or fork.

8. Step 8:

   

   Combine the yolks with the cream and whisk until smooth.

9. Step 9:

   

   Pour the yolks and cream into a separate skillet. Over low heat, stirring constantly, bring the mixture to a slight thickening. It's very important to do this over low heat—at high temperatures the yolks and cream can curdle, leaving lumps that spoil the look and taste.

10. Step 10:

    

    Add the cooked bacon to the thickened mixture and stir.

11. Step 11:

    

    Add the grated cheese to the sauce. Over low heat, stirring constantly, warm it until the cheese melts completely. Salt and add black pepper if you like—I didn't salt it, since the pasta cooks in salted water and the Parmesan gives the sauce a salty, slightly spicy taste.

12. Step 12:

    

    The carbonara sauce is ready. It should be about the consistency of not-too-thick sour cream. If you used lower-fat cream, the sauce may be thinner; you can thicken it by adding more cheese. If it's too thick, thin it with some of the hot water the pasta cooked in.

13. Step 13:

    

    Meanwhile, add the hot, just-cooked pasta to the sauce, toss, and serve right away, sprinkled with finely chopped herbs and grated Parmesan. Enjoy!