In my head it was from 1998 via Nigella's 'How to Eat' that Brits started to forcefully declare what an 'authentic' carbonara was. But looking again at that recipe, this early-ish debate must have been more about no cream/cream – as she's a splash of vermouth to deglaze the 'guanciale or pancetta', 1 yolk plus 1 whole egg, Parmesan and a grating of nutmeg at the end ... (and it's delicious)
Luca Cesari’s Brief History of Pasta does indeed make a good read … and loved your piece too. Such nonsense talked about food these days with such conviction, often by folks with no sense of history at all !
This was brilliant research and timely given there was a whole thread on Bluesky last night amongst my friends about Brooklyn Beckham's carbonara. My Italian cookbook recipe has finely chopped red chili pepper and I can never go back to not using it!
Aaaah great piece! This makes me laugh so much because in Spain I feel like carbonara is very common but everyone's recipe is a little different (and most do use cream). I use bacon, eggs, pepper and... nutritional yeast because my husband is deathly allergic to milk proteins. Sue me.
Really loved this! Italians are a proud bunch for sure. Growing up as a person with Italian heritage I can recall so many memories of being chastised for my 'experimental' approach to 'classic' Italian dishes.
Great history lesson here. I've had a lot of the versions you researched over the years in different restaurants and have cooked several of those versions. Some of those versions, like adding cream or using butter, are effective to expedite multiple dishes at once in a professional kitchen (which I've done). And as an American, we didn't always have guanciale at our disposal, so there have been wild flavor changes over the years.
These days, for home cooking, I prefer the method used by Luciano in Rome, working the egg/cheese/fat mixture like a classic sauce in bain-marie over the stove, as it lends stability and I can hold the sauce if necessary and I appreciate the technique.
Fascinating read. As someone who's allergic to all the nightshade family, including tomatoes and eggplant, carbonara is one of my staples when I eat in an Italian restaurant in Australia. It's so interesting to read about all its variations, many of which I've had over the years, here.
In my head it was from 1998 via Nigella's 'How to Eat' that Brits started to forcefully declare what an 'authentic' carbonara was. But looking again at that recipe, this early-ish debate must have been more about no cream/cream – as she's a splash of vermouth to deglaze the 'guanciale or pancetta', 1 yolk plus 1 whole egg, Parmesan and a grating of nutmeg at the end ... (and it's delicious)
An all time classic book! Must admit I’ve never made her version but I like the sound of both of those additions a lot…
Fascinating! I’ll look at it differently now.
Carbonara uncovered - true investigative journalism!
Risking it all to bring the truth to light hahah
Luca Cesari’s Brief History of Pasta does indeed make a good read … and loved your piece too. Such nonsense talked about food these days with such conviction, often by folks with no sense of history at all !
His work is fantastic. Thank you! Yes, it’s wild
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CTw_gWXxftg
An iconic video
At what point does tossing pasta in a giant cheese wheel tableside come in?
Sarebbe una bicicletta
This was brilliant research and timely given there was a whole thread on Bluesky last night amongst my friends about Brooklyn Beckham's carbonara. My Italian cookbook recipe has finely chopped red chili pepper and I can never go back to not using it!
Aaaah great piece! This makes me laugh so much because in Spain I feel like carbonara is very common but everyone's recipe is a little different (and most do use cream). I use bacon, eggs, pepper and... nutritional yeast because my husband is deathly allergic to milk proteins. Sue me.
I can relate to the allergy issues.
Really loved this! Italians are a proud bunch for sure. Growing up as a person with Italian heritage I can recall so many memories of being chastised for my 'experimental' approach to 'classic' Italian dishes.
Lovely article. Thoughtful, informed, punchy yet gentle too.
I am wiser today than I was yesterday.
Lovely read jord xx
Great history lesson here. I've had a lot of the versions you researched over the years in different restaurants and have cooked several of those versions. Some of those versions, like adding cream or using butter, are effective to expedite multiple dishes at once in a professional kitchen (which I've done). And as an American, we didn't always have guanciale at our disposal, so there have been wild flavor changes over the years.
These days, for home cooking, I prefer the method used by Luciano in Rome, working the egg/cheese/fat mixture like a classic sauce in bain-marie over the stove, as it lends stability and I can hold the sauce if necessary and I appreciate the technique.
Calvin Trillin’s 1981 campaign in The New Yorker to unseat turkey and declare Spaghetti Carbonara the National Dish of Thanksgiving -and THIS!
…..she would have been a bike. One of my favorite sayings!
Fascinating read. As someone who's allergic to all the nightshade family, including tomatoes and eggplant, carbonara is one of my staples when I eat in an Italian restaurant in Australia. It's so interesting to read about all its variations, many of which I've had over the years, here.